By Delvon McEwan
After two defeats and one win, Demerara managed to qualify by points for tomorrow’s Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-19 limited overs final against the President’s XI after defeating Essequibo by six wickets yesterday.
This was the third closely contested match involving Demerara who won the game in the final over yesterday at the Enmore Community Centre Ground.
Demerara’s openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Brian Sattaur initially set the platform with a 147-run opening partnership in 33.2 overs followed by an entertaining third-wicket partnership of 55 runs between Ramnarine Chatura and Kemol Savoury which ensured Demerara’s victory.
With a target of 234 in 50 overs, Sattaur and Chanderpaul added their second century partnership of the tournament to put Demerara in a comfortable position in their run chase. Sattaur was the aggressor, rotating the strike often and finding the boundary every time a wayward delivery was served up. He brought up his half century after hitting consecutive boundaries off Adams while growing in confidence before his innings ended at 81 from 105 as he was caught in the deep attempting to hit Keanu Harry for another boundary.
Chanderpaul who was the more patient batsman played the supportive role to Sattaur but decided to up the tempo after Sattaur’s dismissal. The West Indies Under-19 player, played two remarkable shots through the on and off side to get to his half century followed by an exquisite cover driven boundary that bisected short extra cover and cover and went racing past the diving long off fielder. He was, however dismissed by a splendid catch from a flying Mohendra Balbadar at mid-off for 55 from 93 deliveries to become Harry’s second victim.
With Demerara needing 60 runs from 54 balls, Harry struck again removing Sherfane Rutherford for four. However, Savoury (29 not out) and Chatura (36) joined forces in the 41st over and the pair combined to attack the bowlers from the Cinderella County. Chatura was the more forceful of the two hitting Harry for two fours and a six in the 46th over. Chatura was dismissed by fast bowler Kemo Paul in the 47th over but Steven Sankar who joined Savoury ensured Demerara reached their target without another wicket falling. Bowling for Essequibo, Harry finished with 3-53 while off-spinner Akil Wallace was very economical in bowling 10 overs for 13 runs.
Earlier, Essequibo, sent in to bat by Demerara, raced to 36 runs in 6.3 overs before losing their first wicket, that of Avinash Persaud who was removed by the lively, Keon Morris who missed the first two rounds because he was not afforded leave by his employers. Essequibo’s total was built on a solid half century by Paul who made 62 from 60 balls while Ricardo Peters (44) and Ryan Adams (34) provided support.
Bowling for Demerara, Chanderpaul and Cleon McEwan were the chief wicket takers with 2-35 and 2-38 from six and 10 overs respectively.
Over at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Berbice defeated the President’s XI by two runs in a rain reduced game. Batting first after winning the toss, Berbice made 119 all out with Parmanand Ramdhan (25) and Balchan Baldeo being the principal scorers with 25 and 18 respectively. In reply, the President’s XI was well placed on 96-1 before slipping to 117-8 when their 42 overs expired. Ryan Shun and Aviskar Sewkarran were the main contributors with 40 and 27 respectively while Berbice’s spinners, Arif Chan and Baldeo claimed three wickets each.
The final will be played tomorrow at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda, from 9:30 hours.
