By Colin Benjamin
On a day in which wickets fell so often it was if one was watching a highlights package of a 20 overs-a-side game, Demerara closed the second day of the 2011 Guyana and Trinidad Mutual (GTM) Under 19 Inter County three-day competition on 72 for 3 with a overall lead 160 runs, after they had bundled out Essequibo for miserly 96, at Providence National Stadium, yesterday.
Play commenced at 0930 hrs with Demerara hoping that the overnight pairing of Chanderpaul Hemraj and Jahron Byron could continue the batting chemistry that they have showed in the last week and lead Demerara to a commanding first innings total.
But those ambitions were almost immediately dashed as Byron was bowled for a painstaking 14 from 74 deliveries, by left-arm spinner Herry Green off the final ball of the third over of the day, with the score on 105 for 4.
The remainder of the Demerara innings was a procession as they lost their final six wickets for 80 runs to be bundled out for a very modest 184 in 84.3 overs, just twelve minutes before the lunch interval. Only star batsman Hemraj who fell agonizingly short of his hundred with 99 from 204 balls including, 11 boundaries and one six managed to show resistance, while his teammates fell like a pack of cards around him.
Hemraj, however, will be disappointed with his mode of dismissal as tried to bring up his hundred with a six in a mad rush of blood and was caught at mid-on via the bowling of off-spinner Ricardo Adams with the score on 164-6.
Skipper Anthony Adams was the pick of the Essequibo bowled with an analysis of 16.2-4-27-3. He was well supported by left-arm spinner Green and his namesake/off-spinner Ricardo Adams who had figures of 17-7-28-2 and 5-0-15-2 respectively.
At this stage of the game Essequibo was on top, as they continued to show considerable improvement from their opening encounter against Berbice. However, that impetus was squandered by a another insipid batting performance by the Essequibo boys, as they collapsed for a miserable 96 all out in 45.2 overs to trail by 88 runs on first innings.
Opener Kevin Boodie with 30 from 45 balls with five boundaries was the only score of note in that paltry batting performance. The wickets were shared fairly evenly by three bowlers; Raj Nanan, Neil Barry Jr., and Amir Khan whose figures read 10.2-3-20-3, 4-1-13-2 and 16-9-24-2 respectively.
Demerara in their second innings closed the day on 72 for 3 in 21 overs with an overall lead of 160 going into the final day’s play. They lost both openers Christopher Surat and Steve Ramdass for 15 each and Hemraj for 20. Off-spinner Vajai Surujpaul was the main wicket-taker so far with figures of 5-2-8-0. Given how lacklustre Essequibo have batted in their last two completed batting efforts, Demerara will surely fancy their chances of winning outright if they can get a lead close to 250.
Play on the final resumes at 09:30 hrs today.
