By Marlon Munroe
Essequibo were within sight of an upset win over Demerara on the penultimate day of their four-day Guyana Cricket Board sponsored Inter-County competition at the Anna Regina Community Development Centre ground yesterday.
Chasing 195 runs for an outright win, Essequibo closed on 102-5 still 93 more runs away with five wickets remaining.
Essequbo owed their position to pacers Trevor Benn who bowled impressively for his five-wicket haul and Trevon Garraway who supported well with three wickets.
Essequibo found themselves in early trouble on 24-3 but a gutsy 56 run partnership between opener Norman Fredericks and Delon Heyliger rallied them to a respectable 102-5 at the close.
Fredericks is undefeated on an even 50 while Garraway is the other not out batsman.
Troy Gonsalves ended with two wickets while Christopher Barnwell, Leon Scott and Zaheer Mohammed are the other wicket takers.
Fredericks was the glue that kept Essequibo together. He batted for 210 minutes to bring up his half century, from 164 balls with six fours.
He also brought up his team’s 100 in the last over of the day.
Earlier, Gonsalves made a whirlwind 57 (7×4) and Ramnaresh Sarwan completed another half century to take Demerara’s total to a level of respectively after they lost three wickets when the score was 176 after resuming on 168-4.
Benn and Garrraway were once again the thorns in Demerara’s side.
Sarwan, resuming on 46, duly brought up his 50 when he steered Garraway to third man for two but was bowled the ball after for 51. His innings lasted 163 minutes and he faced 139 balls striking four boundaries.
Barnwell was the next to go when he was caught by Fredericks at mid off driving uppishly after adding three runs to his overnight score of 23.
Another display of disciplined bowling and fine fielding accounted for the wicket of Mohammed when Andrews Williams took a diving catch at mid-on off the bowling Benn.
Afterwards, Jacobs and Gonsalves embarked on a good partnership. Jacobs was the aggressor as he hoisted Williams for six over long off then pulled Ramesh Narine through midwicket for four. However, on the stroke of lunch Jacobs was caught on the long off boundary for 37 by Latchman Rohit off a flighted delivery from leg spinner Narine.
His knock included three fours and one six from 96 minutes and 58 balls. Demerara went to lunch at 227-8 and a lead of 143 runs with Gonsalves on 14.
On resumption, Gonsalves accelerated the scoring with some audacious strokes to bring up his half century in 85 balls and 119.
He struck seven fours. Benn duly completed his five-wicket haul when he had Joseph Perry lbw for six and Leon Scott bowled without scoring.
Demerara were all out for 278 in 94 overs, 49 minutes after the luncheon break, with Gonsalves unbeaten on 57 which included seven fours and one maximum.
