The coaches of the Demerara and Berbice under-19 teams are both confident of their team’s chances of success as they head into the final round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-County Under-19 three-day tourney on today at Everest and the GCC grounds respectively.
Gavin Nedd, Demerara’s coach, said though his guys are disappointed about their second round defeat against Berbice, they will put that aside to focus on retaining their title. According to Nedd, Demerara is fortunate to be heading into the finals with a three-point advantage gained from excellent fast bowling by pacers Daniel Basdeo and Keon Morris.
“The batting department needs to improve and deliver in order for Demerara to gain full points but at the moment we are confident of retaining the title,” he said. Demerara lost to Berbice by 137 runs during Wednesday’s match at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground at Bourda. They face President’s XI, at the same venue today at 10am.
Demerara’s bowling line-up includes leg spinner, Steven Sankar, the first bowler to claim a 10-wicket match haul in this tournament after snaring 13 of Essequibo’s wickets in the first match. National senior player Tagenarine Chanderpaul is among its talented batters expected to produce while pacers Basdeo and Morris will have to put their shoulders to the wheel.
President’s XI’s Travis Persaud, Renaldo Mohamed, Vivian Albert, Ryan Shun and Sunil Singh will have to show determination to win their first match and prevent Demerara from retaining the title.
Meanwhile, Hubern Evans, Berbice’s coach, believes his team is unified and playing quality cricket though they must guard against complacency. Evans hopes they can play the finals with the same momentum that they displayed in the first two matches.
Berbice has two of the three centurions of this year’s tournament in its side, comprising Shimron Hetmyer who scored 125 against the President’s XI in the first round at Enmore and David Latchaya who recorded his unbeaten 103 against Demerara in the second round. Berbice’s batting line-up also includes, skipper Sharaz Ramcharran, Viendra Gooniah and Ashkay Homraj who have all scored half centuries so far.
In the bowling department, Ramcharran and Balchand Basdeo who were destructive against Demerara will be supported by pacer Nial Smith and leg spinning all-rounder Gooniah.
Essequibo will be spearheaded by all-rounder Kemo Paul who has scored the other century of the tournament and Akil Wallace who is the other bowler with a 10-wicket match haul after finishing with figures of 10-170 against the President’s XI.
Berbice will compete against Essequibo at Everest from 10am.
