By Delvon McEwan
Berbice started their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Senior Inter-County Limited Overs Tournament with an easy victory over the National Under-19 team yesterday, at the Everest Cricket Club Ground.
Spearheaded by half centuries from former national youth players Kandasammy Surujnarine and Devon Clements and complemented by three- wicket match hauls from Krishendat Ramoo and discarded West Indies player Narsingh Deonarine, Berbice got past the U-19 team by 105 runs.
Scores in the match read Berbice 278-7 in 50 overs (Surujnarine 81 and Clements 54 while Damion Waldron took 2-33 from 9.5 overs). U-19s 173 all-out in 46.5 overs (Kemo Paul 47 while Deonarine and Ramoo took 3-37 and 3-26 respectively).
Berbice’s total was inspired by a second-wicket century stand between Surujnarine and Clements. The pair added 101 runs after Seon Hetmyer (a former national youth player and the elder brother of Shimron) was removed by Paul for nine and the team’s score on 28. Clements was the first to reach 50 after he struck three fours and two sixes while facing 72 deliveries. He was soon joined by Surujnarine, who faced 74 deliveries while striking five boundaries on his way to his half century.
However, shortly after meeting his milestone Clements succumbed to Steven Sankar as he attempted to clear the rope for a third time only to be caught by Paul on the long-off boundary. After Clements’ dismissal, Surujnarine was joined by Deonarine and the two engaged in a batting power-play which was taken at the 36th over with the scorecard reading 165-2.
Unfortunately for Berbice, Surujnarine was bowled off the first delivery of the power-play by Waldron. Jonathan Foo and Deonarine then batted the remainder of the power-play scoring 30 runs along the way; however, quick batting by the two soon resulted in their dismissal, scoring 30 and 23 respectively. Meanwhile, Veerasammy Permaul played a cameo where he scored 31 from 23 balls before he was dismissed off the last ball of his team’s innings.
In reply, the U-19s suffered an early setback when Shimron Hetmyer (09) was caught by his brother at square leg off the bowling of pacer Keon “buff and roll” Joseph.
Skipper Brian Sattaur continued to have a miserable time with the bat of recent as he was dismissed caught at mid-on after pulling at a short delivery from Joseph’s new ball partner Raun Johnson.
After slipping to 68-4, the U-19s innings was revived by a 45-run sixth wicket partnership between Kemol Savoury (26) and Renaldo Ali-Mohamed (28) before the latter was bowled by Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai at 113-6. Savoury followed five runs after as he chopped at Deonarine’s delivery onto his stumps.
The Berbice victory charge was delayed as Paul resumed his innings after retiring earlier due to an injury he picked up while fielding. He accounted for three huge sixes and three fours during a very determined innings. Paul continues to be the most consistent of the U-19s, missing out on what would have been his sixth half century for the U-19 side in the 10 matches they would have featured in over the past two months.
The U-19s will now face Essequibo at the same venue on Saturday while the clash between Demerara and Berbice will take place at the Wales Community Development ground. Both matches are scheduled to start at 9.30am.
