By Marlon Munroe
A five-wicket haul by Steven Jacobs sank Essequibo to a 40-run defeat in 81 minutes of the first session on the last day of the Guyana Cricket Board senior four-day tournament at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground yesterday.
At the end of the penultimate day Essequibo were 102-5, needing 93 more runs for an outright victory with opener Norman Fredericks on 50 and Trevon Garraway on five.
But, sensible bowling by Jacobs, coupled with good captaincy and tight fielding ensured Essequibo fall short of their target.
Fredericks top scored with 60 while Delon Heyliger, the hero in the first innings with 81, made 29.
Jacobs had figures of 5-37 and Troy Gonsalves 3-29 for Demerara.
Essequibo resumed the day positively and the overnight batsmen, Fredericks and Garraway, turned the strike over regularly.
In the fifth over of the day Fredericks stroked Jacobs sweetly down to the long-on boundary but the very next ball he pushed forward tentatively to a delivery from Jacobs that spun and the ball took the outer edge of the bat and looped to Ramnaresh Sarwan at first slip.
He had gone for 60 from 177 balls in 228 minutes and had struck seven fours.
The score was then 116-6 and with his dismissal went Essequibo’s hopes.
Garraway continued to bat painstakingly along with Anthony Adams before he was caught at mid-on for 17 by Rajendra Chandrika off a long hop from leg spinner Gonsalves. He lasted 71 minutes and faced 57 balls.
Sarwan then set an attacking field with two slips, two bat-pad fielders, short gully, and a short cover. Then Gonsalves bowled a full toss to Andrew Williams and he dispatched it to the midwicket boundary for four. Jacobs struck again when he had Adams caught at short leg by Leon Johnson for 3 (130-8) and the next ball Christopher Barnwell took a running catch at midwicket to dismiss Lennox Andrews for a golden duck (130-9).
Benn was dropped in the 15th over of the day by Johnson at forward short leg when he was on one. A stubborn last wicket partnership ensued between Williams and Trevor Benn who hit off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed for a huge six over square leg, then stroked a double on the off-side for two to bring up the 150. Williams joined in when he tickled Jacobs to fine leg for three runs but Jacobs had the last say on the last ball of that over when Williams was caught by Shemroy Barrington at silly mid-off to signal the end of the game at 11:21 hours.
Essequibo were bowled out for 155 from 71 overs with extras contributing eight runs to the total. Jacobs finished with 5-37 from 21 overs, Gonsalves 3-29 from 13 overs while Barnwell and Leon Scott finished with one wicket apiece.
Essequibo had dismissed Demerara for a paltry 119 and took first innings points when they made 203. Demerara, in their second innings cleared the deficit of 84 runs making 278 all out, setting Essequibo a tough victory target of 195 runs in a day and two sessions.
They failed!
