The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) sponsored Berbice recovered from losing first innings points to beat Essequibo outright in Round Two of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-County four day competition at Wales. Essequibo went into the final day with the momentum gained from dismantling GT&T Berbice for 91 on day three but added to their dismal record in Senior Inter County cricket by stumbling to 91 all out in their second innings.
Scores in the match: Essequibo 140 and 91; Berbice 90 and 143/5
The destroyers were off spinner Eon Hooper and left arm orthodox spinner Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai with Guyana Under-15 player Kemo Paul top scoring with 16 for Essequibo while Ricardo Adams scored 15 as the Essequibo batsmen collapsed to undo their success on day three.
It was a remarkable comeback from the Berbicians, who now need victory against Demerara to win the tournament. Hooper ended with 4-23 while Motie-Kanhai was equally supportive with 4-33.
The pacers Keon Joseph (1-16) and Clinton Pestano (1-14) were not to be left out as they claimed the other two wickets to limit Essequibo to a lead of 141.
In their chase of 142 GT&T Berbice lost the early wicket of Richard Ramdeen for three caught by Anthony Adams at mid off off the bowling of Paul.
GT&T Berbice went to lunch at 33 for 1 with Sewnarine Chattergoon and Gajanand Singh at the crease.
Upon resumption Singh progressed to 17 before he gifted a return catch to Mark Tyrell with the score 51/2 while Assad Fudadin was later lbw to Royan Fredericks for 10 at 76-3 and when Anthony D’Andrade was run out by Anthony Adams for a duck without any addition to the score Essequibo still had the opportunity to defend their small target.
Chattergoon had other plans however as he batted his way to an important half century. His half century came off 104 balls and although he perished three runs later for 53, his knock was vital to GT&T Berbice’s chase. Chattergoon’s half century included three fours and one six and he fell off the last ball before tea.
Delbert Hicks and Jason Sinclair resumed after tea and the pair spared their team further hiccups with an unbroken 31-run partnership. Hicks finished with an unbeaten 40 while Sinclair made nine.
GT&T needed only 46.5 overs for their five-wicket win. Tyrell’s two wickets in the second innings left him with an eight wicket match haul, but it proved in vain as his side slumped to yet another defeat from a position of control.
