Demerara managed to defy a magical five-wicket haul by Essequibo skipper Anthony Adams to secure a nail-biting two-wicket win in the first round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 50-over Inter-county Tournament.
Played at the Wales Community Ground yesterday, Demerara encountered hiccups in their chase of 153 after Adams ripped through the batting line-up, snaring 5-38 from his 10 overs. With all-rounder Ricardo Adams (3-19) providing good support, the Cinderella County boys came within grasp of a monumental win.
Man-of-the-Match Trevon Griffith led the way with an aggressive 38-ball 47 while fellow opener Andrew Lyght Jr chipped in with a run-a-ball 38 as they ended on 153-8 in 28.3 overs at the end of their chase.
Earlier, Steven Jacobs picked up 4-32 while off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed grabbed 3-16 as they restricted Essequibo to 152 all out in 39.2 overs. Opener Kevon Boodie top scored with a stylish 42 inclusive of six fours while Hemchand Persaud supported with a sedate 26.
During the chase, Griffith and Lyght Jr tore into the Essequibo bowlers, adding 93 for the first wicket in 12.1 overs. Griffith spanked eight fours and one six in his knock before the skipper Adams had him trapped LBW.
Lyght and Robin Bacchus (16) then came together to steer their team over the line with the latter announcing himself with a flurry of boundaries off a Mark Tyrell over, driving and flicking the fast bowlers for three fours.
However, Lyght threw away his wicket when he was caught by Rayon Fredericks which followed the wicket of Bacchus who provided a return catch to left-arm spinner Ricardo Adams. At 113-3, the skipper Christopher Barnwell (7) walked to the middle but had his stay cut short after he was expertly caught in first slip by Royston Alkins off his opposite designation’s bowling.
Demerara found themselves in a bit of bother when Rajendra Chandrika (12) was comprehensively bowled by Adams who then had Chandarpaul Hemraj (1) caught at mid-off as he picked up his fourth wicket.
Jacobs (1) looked scratchy from the start, eventually succumbing to another controlled piece of spin bowling by Adams. The skipper then picked up his fifth wicket of the match when Mohammed (2) was trapped LBW as the Essequibians were two wickets away from an upset victory. But a patient Paul Wintz (6*) held his nerve and finished the game with a boundary through the square region as Demerara crept over the line. Shemroy Barrington was unbeaten on 10.
Earlier, the Essequibo batsmen struggled to cope with the spinners, except for Boodie who batted well before he was bowled by Amir Khan. After winning the toss, Demerara elected to field and openers Norman Fredericks (12) and Boodie added 61 for the first wicket in 13.4 overs despite controlled bowling from Wintz and Barnwell. The bowling changes saw the spin twins Jacobs and Khan pulling things back in the middle period as Essequibo found themselves teetering at 82-5.
Jacobs removed the Fredericks brothers, Norman and Royan (6), Ricardo Adams (8) and Vijay Surujpaul (0). Mohamed then knocked over Alkins for 5 in his first over. The skipper Adams and Persaud came together and added 38-runs. Wintz bowled Brian Herbert for (5), while Adams was trapped leg before for 10 before the innings came to a close with Tyrell run-out for 10.
