By Colin Benjamin
Berbice secured a convincing seven-wicket victory over the President’s XI in their opening match of the 2011 El Dorado Inter-County limited-overs competition, at the Blairmont Community Ground, West Bank, Berbice.
Home team skipper Assad Fudadin won the toss and invited the President XI’s to take first strike on the Blairmont venue.
The President’s XI, whose line-up who included players with West Indies experience in Berbice opener Sewnarine Chattergoon and Travis Dowlin, struggled throughout their innings and were eventually bundled out for a paltry 168 in 49.2 overs.
Former West Indies Under-19 captain Steven Jacobs, who was overlooked for the Demerara side, top scored with 45 (82 balls, 3×4).
Chattergoon (30), Deon Ferrier (18), Joshua Wade (18) and Keyon Fraser (15 not out) were the other batsmen to reach double figures.
Left-arm spinner Eugene La Fleur (3-27) along with off-spinner Steven Latcha (2-20) and Royston Crandon (2-39) were the principal wicket-takers for Berbice.
In reply, Berbice coasted to their target with 11 overs to spare, scoring 172 for 3 in 38.2 overs, which was built on the back of an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 110 between Royston Crandon 61 not out (100 balls, 3×4, 1×6) and Jonathan Foo 51 not out (77 balls, 2×4).
Fraser, Jacobs and Wade took one wicket apiece for the defeated President’s XI.
At Bourda, heavy early morning showers forced a premature abandonment in the Demerara/Essequibo contest at 2:20 pm, yesterday afternoon without a ball being bowled.
With no reserve day for matches in the original tournament schedule, it was expected that the teams would just walk away with two points.
However late in the afternoon the Competitions Committee of the GCB sent a revised schedule which informed that the game will be replayed today.
