– as Inter-County cricket tournament opens
Neither batsman wanted to be outdone by the other on the first day of the El Dorado Inter-County 50-over tournament at the Blairmont Community Centre ground yesterday.
Sewnarine Chattergoon and Richard Ramdeen matched each other shot for shot but in the end the day belonged to Ramdeen, who reminded selectors of his class for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) 50-over tournament in Jamaica from October 14-24.
Ramdeen overshadowed a face-saving 93 from Essequibo’s Norman Fredericks with a scintillating knock of 102 as the Berbicians made light work of the Essequibians’ score of 210-7.
Chattergoon finished with an undefeated 86 as Berbice breezed to 211-2 in 28.5 overs. The two batsmen put on a show for the spectators who filled the stands of the Blairmont ground with a 180-run first wicket stance from 21.5 overs.
Ramdeen, batting right hand, and the left-handed Chattergoon started on an even keel but it was the right hander who stamped his authority by lifting Essequibo’s opening bowler Trevon Benn, in his second over, over the infield to wide long for four. However, the best was yet to come when Ramdeen, who recently returned from South Africa with the touring Amazon Conquerors, gracefully drove Delon Heyliger through cover for another boundary.
In the fifth over of the Berbice response, Ramdeen, playing on the back foot, punched Benn’s first ball through cover before Chattergoon joined the run fest with an enterprising slash to the backward point boundary off Benn.
Subsequently, with the introduction of pacer Rensford Beaton, Chattergoon took 17 runs off the over, which included three fours and a single. Two of those fours went to the backward point boundary and the other was a flick to the backward square boundary.
In the overs that ensued Chattergoon took a liking to Beaton, who was taken from the attack after the onslaught. The rapid pace took the Berbice to 50 in 4.2 overs. The scoring rate was stemmed temporarily, but the Berbicians remained in control and the players from the Cinderella County, who continued to look for a fairy godmother, showed signs of dejection.
Salt was rubbed into the wounds of the Essequibians when Ramdeen hit the first six of the Berbice innings, after which he brought up his first Inter-County century. He did not survive much longer after that.
He charged to spinner Jason Heyliger, swung wildly and was bowled after an innings that lasted 62 balls, seven of which were boundaries (12×4, 3×6). Chattergoon continued, albeit less aggressively, with Jonathan Foo (13) and Anthony Bramble (5 not out) before closing off the one-sided affair.
Meanwhile, when Essequibo batted, Fredericks’ 93, which was decorated with seven fours and a six, was the knock that saved the Essequibians from total embarrassment. It was a well-crafted innings and his main support came from Balchan Sivamber (34) and Ryan Fredericks (24).
Wickets fell constantly around him but he was the glue that held the pieces together. However, this did not stop off spinner Narsingh Deonarine from snaring 3-39 (10). Royston Crandon and Veerasammy Permaul contributed with 2-52 (7) and 1-41 (9) respectively.
Berbice will clash with Demerara today at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda.
Scoreboard
Essequibo innings
N. Fredericks c Foo
b R. Crandon 93
R. Fredericks c R. Crandon b Deonarine 24
D. Heyliger c E. Crandon b Deonarine 12
J. Heyliger c&b Deonarine 00
N. Pooran run out 5
T. Benn c Foo b Permaul 6
B. Shivamber not out 34
R. Moore stp Bramble b R. Crandon 9
A. Adams not out 1
Extras: (w-15, lb-7, nb-4) 26
Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-126,
3-127, 4-145, 5-160, 6-168,
7-199
Bowling: E. Crandon 6-0-21-0, Joseph 6-0-15-0, Permaul 9-0-41-1, R. Crandon 7-0-52-2, Bishoo 10-0-35-0 (4nb), Deonarine 10-2-39-3
Berbice innings
S. Chattergoon not out 86
R. Ramdeen b J. Heyliger 102
J. Foo lbw R. Fredericks 13
A. Bramble not out 5
Extras: (b-2, lb-1, nb-1, w-1) 05
Fall of wickets: 1-180, 2-205
Bowling: Benn 2-0-21-0 (1nb), D. Heyliger 2-0-22-0, Beaton 2-0-22-0, Moore 6-0-38-0, Adams 5-0-33-0 (1w), R. Fredericks 4.5-0-34-1, J. Heyliger 6-1-27-1, N. Fredericks 1-0-11-0
Result: Berbice won
by 8 wickets