By Delvon Mc Ewan
Georgetown registered its second victory on the back of a well-played century by Joshua Persaud in the latest round of the Demerara Cricket Board under 15 inter-zone 50 over competition, yesterday at Enmore ground, East Coast Demerara.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Georgetown was off to a good start with openers Persaud and Anil Bhola putting together 39 for the first wicket before Bhola was run out for three. First round century maker Alphius Bookie then joined forces with Persaud to add a valuable second wicket partnership of 143 runs. Both batsmen manipulated the ball into the gaps and made use of the bad balls when those were served up.
Persaud stroked 13 boundaries in his 106, before he was removed with the score on 182, while Bookie followed 13 runs later for 43 which included three boundaries.
The scorecard soon read 201-5 after Pradesh Balkishun took two quick wickets before lower order batsmen Ashmead Nedd with an unbeaten 15 and Joshua Raghobar (12) added 25 runs for the fifth wickets within four overs to set a competitive score. Georgetown finished on 234-6 in 50 overs that included 33 extras, with off spinner Pradesh Balkishun taking 2-35 from 10 overs supported by left arm orthodox bowler Ramdeo Basdeo 2-57 from his 10 overs.
East Coast was off to a bad start losing Robin Williams for nought leg before wicket to pacer Colin Barlow with the score on nine. Ramdeo Basdeo joined Anil Singh and the two batted patiently taking the score to 34 before Singh was stumped in the 15th over by wicketkeeper Joshua Persaud off the bowling of Khemchandra Hardyal. Ramdeo followed in identical fashion which made way for his captain Bhaskar Yadram who opted to bat at number five. Balkishun and Yadram took the score to 76 before Balkishun was removed for 17 caught and bowled by Hardyal who bowled with control and lots of spin. Bookie, bowling his medium pace destroyed the East Coast innings to finish with figures of 4-21, as East Coast was bowled out for 92 in 39.2 overs. Bookie’s bowling was complemented by Hardyal’s 3-19 from 10 overs and left arm orthodox spinner Stephon Wilson’s 2-15 from 8 overs.
Garvin `Tibbsy’ Nedd, coach of the Georgetown team speaking of the team’s performances at this stage of the competition, said that he was very happy with his team’s performance so far and with the “talent pool” of cricketers available in Georgetown.
The former national off spinner is of the opinion that Georgetown should be fielding two teams in the competition as part of the development programme in Demerara.
The competition continues today from 9:30 a.m. at the Everest Cricket Club ground where Georgetown comes up against East Bank and at Wales Ground, West Demerara where West Demerara will host East Coast.
