A stylish maiden century by Amir Khan took Demerara close to victory against the GCB Developmental XI who trail by 146-runs heading into day three in the second round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 4-day inter-county tournament.
The match, which continued at the Everest cricket ground saw Khan coming to the crease as night-watchman from the first day. More notorious for his right-arm leg-spin, he used the opportunity to flex his muscles with the bat, cracking 10 fours and one six in his top score of 116, which required the right-hander to bat for some 206 minutes and face 257 balls.
Early knocks in the first day from Trevon Griffith (56), Robin Bacchus (20), Rajendra Chandrika (26), skipper Vishaul Singh (56), helped steer Demerara to 338 all out in 122 overs. This was in reply to the Developmental team’s first innings score of 154 all out, acquiring a lead of 184.
Opposition skipper Steven Jacobs collected his second consecutive 5-wicket haul in the tournament ending with 5-91. Steven Sankar (3-38) Chandarpaul Hemraj and Kemo Paul one wicket each, completed a cohesive bowling exhibition for their team which was teetering at 38 for 5 at stumps on day two. Paul Wintz’s three-wicket burst left Demerara
requiring the remaining five wickets for a victory.
GCB XI were placed under the guillotine early. Opener Shimron Hetmyer (3) was removed by Gavin Moriah, triggering a double-wicket maiden by Wintz who then disposed of the other opener Tage Chanderpaul as well as David Latchaya both for ducks.
Things got worse with the loss of the in-form Hemraj for 12 after he was trapped LBW by Barnwell, leaving the score at 19 for 4. The big blow came when Jacobs attempted an expansive drive at a delivery from Wintz and was bowled for 8, leaving the unbeaten pair of Kemol Savory (9) and Paul (6) at the crease.
Earlier, Demerara who were trailing the GCB Developmental X1 by first innings deficit of 20 runs, resumed their innings on the second day with the score 134-3,. They went on to take the total to 233-3 at lunch after overnight batsmen skipper Singh 56 (4×4) and Khan who was unbeaten on 67 (5×4, 1×6) at that point, piled on 131 for the fourth wicket.
The skipper and his night-watchman, who resumed on six and 14 respectively, had been watchful at the start of the day’s play but soon kept the scoreboard ticking as the session progressed. Singh was given a life on 12 when keeper Savory spilled a regulation catch off the skipper Jacobs.
Khan, a useful lower-order batsman, continued his fluency and soon registered his maiden half-century off 102 balls, while Singh continued to grind the bowlers. At lunch, Khan was unbeaten on 63 and Singh was solidly placed on 48.
The tables turned on the resumption of play in the afternoon session and GCB Developmental handed some severe blows to the Demerara side. Jacobs got finally got his man, when Singh provided Hetmyer with a catch. Chris Barnwell (4) became his fourth victim when he was caught by Hemraj and Zaheer Mohamed (0) was trapped LBW the second ball he faced from Paul leaving the score 273 for 5.
Wicketkeeper Joseph Perry (14) was given out leg-before to Sankar as Khan quietly went into the 90s. A watchful Khan and new man Paul Wintz (10) went into tea break taking the score to 311 with the spinner 2 short of his hundred.
Play resumed at 14:30 hrs and 11 minutes later Wintz provided a catch to Jacobs which was completed, giving Hemraj a wicket. Khan quickly pushed on reaching his milestone with a cut-shot for four forward of square off Hemraj, and gave a calm acknowledgement with the traditional raising of the bat.
The GCB XI then tied up the loose ends when they removed the centurion, followed by the wicket of Moriah (0), Jacobs’ fifth. Raj Nannan was left unbeaten on 7. The action continues today at 09:30hrs.
