Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s first innings ton was not enough for the GCB Developmental XI to discourage Berbice skipper Narsingh Deonarine who replied with an unbeaten half-century, taking the final round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 4-day inter-county tournament into day four.
The out-of-favour West Indies batsman scored a classy 55 from 108-deliveries, decorated with three sixes and one four, taking his team to 136-4, extending their lead by 188-runs after umpires stopped play due to bad light. Deonarine and night-watchman Keon Joseph who was yet to come off the mark, will resume their innings in today’s final passage of play.
Played at the Wales ground, the GCB XI resumed their innings on 234-6 and ended their first innings on 366 all-out replying to Berbice’s first innings total of 418 all out, still facing a deficit of 52 despite the veteran Guyana and West Indies batsman stroking a 263-ball 123 which was studded with 13 fours.
The Berbice bowlers performed creditably with Raun Johnson (2-42), Narsingh Deonarine (2-41), Royston Crandon (2-53), Keon Joseph (2-66) and Veerasammy Permaul (2-92) each contributing with wickets.
When Berbice went out to bat in the afternoon session immediately after routing their opponents, they were forced to cope with the early dismissals of opener Kandasammy Surujnarine (6) who was run-out during an unfortunate mix up with Seon Hetmyer (41) and Devon Clements who was caught by Savory off the bowling of Paul for a duck.
Deonarine and Hetmyer then applied themselves with relative ease, picking apart anything loose and clobbering anything that was poorly bowled. The older of the Hetmyer brothers, Seon used his feet well against the likes of Jacobs, Dhanpaul, Ramcharran and company while the more classical skipper was severe on any bowler who strayed from their line or length, taking their side to 68-2 at tea.
After forging a 50-run partnership, Hetmyer was pinned LBW by Steven Sankar who picked up his only wicket during the final session of the afternoon. However, a dangerous looking Deonarine continued and soon reached his half-century after imposing his will. Jonathan Foo looked well during his innings, hitting a six and a four before he was dismissed minutes prior to umpires and players deliberating whether to stop play due to light, which was eventually taken.
Earlier in the morning, young wicket-keeper batsman Kemol Savory (40) who resumed his innings on 38, added a mere two runs more to his overnight total before he was caught in the covers of the bowling of Joseph.
Chanderpaul, who resumed on his overnight score of 77, soon reached his century off 225 deliveries, courtesy of a timed pull-shot of Joseph through mid-wicket, managing to add a few more runs to his score before he was dismissed minutes before lunch when the short-cover fielder completed a good catch of Crandon’s bowling.
The session immediately after lunch saw a brief passage of rejuvenation by Yatesh Dhanpaul who struck three fours in his 15 before he fell to Crandon while Sharaz Ramcharran (15*) and Sankar’s cameo of 37 with five fours and one six, took the GCB XI to a good total. The match continues today at 9am.
