By Delvon Mc Ewan
Berbice defeated Demerara by four runs in a low-scoring encounter in the opening match of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-19 Inter County tournament yesterday at the Wales Community Development Centre Ground,
Spinner Arif Chan mesmerised Demerara’s batsmen which allowed his team to defend their low total of 143. He claimed four wickets.
Man-of-the-match Chan dismissed last man Daniel Basdeo to spark celebration in the Berbice camp after they had dismissed Demerara for 138 in 46 overs. At one stage Demerara were well-placed on 121-5.
The principal scorers for Demerara were Ramnarine Chatura and Tagenarine Chanderpaul who both played patient innings of 42 from 88 balls and 40 from 118 balls respectively.
The pair added 62 runs for the fifth wicket to rebuild Demerara’s innings before being separated. With both batsmen removed and Demerara 17 runs away from victory, there was a sudden collapse in the lower order which accounted for Demerara’s defeat. The right-hander, Chatura stroked four fours and a six, while Chanderpaul, who was given a life on 28 hit four boundaries.
However, that was the only partnership of essence for Demerara as only the aggressive Brian Sattaur of the other batsmen reached double figures, scoring 24 from 23 deliveries.
Sharaz Ramcharran (2-22) and Balchand Baldeo (2-24) supported Chan while David Latchaya (1-9) and Parmanand Ramdhan (1-22) took a wicket each. Earlier, when Berbice batted after being sent in, left-arm seamer Daniel Basdeo stifled the batsmen taking 3-34 while all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford took 2-22 with his medium pace. Spinners Steven Sankar 2-19 and Malcolm Hubbard 2-32 assisted in restricting the youngsters from the Ancient County to their eventual score.
Berbice lost Martin Singh for six in the first over. However, a 45-run, second-wicket partnership between Baldeo and Shimron Hetmyer got things flowing for Berbice before Hetmyer was out for 19. Immediately after Rutherford accounted for Baldeo (26) and Ramcharran (9). Spinners Hubbard and Sankar then removed Hakeem Hinds (4), Ashkay Homraj (0) and Chan (1) in quick succession to leave the Berbicians reeling at 87-7.
Parmanand Ramdhan who batted in the lower order was the top scorer with 33 (3×4, 2×6) while sharing a 27-run partnership with Latchaya (20) before the visitors’ innings folded in 39.1 overs.
The competition continues today with Demerara playing the President’s X1 at Bourda and Berbice facing Essequibo at Enmore.
