A composed unbeaten 90 by Rajendra Chandrika and Amir Khan’s five-wicket haul led Demerara to a comfortable win in their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 2014 senior-inter county four-day campaign yesterday.
Chandrika stroked 90 not-out while Khan captured 5-31 to pilot Demerara’s win on the penultimate day by seven wickets, at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda.
Demerara was set a target of 182 to accomplish a come-from-behind victory after they surrendered the first innings lead. Led by Chandrika’s responsible innings, the team cruised to victory after tea on the third day. The right-handed Everest Cricket Club batsman entered the crease when Demerara lost its first wicket at 22, still 162 runs away from their target. Chandrika was fluent from the initial stage of his innings until his team achieved their second win of the tournament. He hoisted a six over the midwicket boundary to bring up his fifty after facing just 48 deliveries.
During his innings, Chandrika added 77 for the second wicket with Shemroy Barrington, who was run-out for 38, 46 with his skipper Vishal ‘Cheesy’ Singh (15) and an unbroken fourth wicket partnership worth 40 runs with Christopher Barnwell (16 not-out). The other wicket to fall was that of opener Trevon Griffith (09), who was caught by stand-in wicket keeper Ricardo Peters off the bowling of Ronsford Beaton, as Demerara reached 185-3 in 47 overs.
Earlier, Khan wrecked Essequibo’s batting after they resumed the day on 101-6 with Ricardo Adams on 67 and Mark Tyrell yet to score. The remaining batsmen only managed 44 runs as Khan struck thrice early into the day’s play. He first removed Tyrell for seven, followed by Beaton (04), who was clean-bowled and Kevon Boodie (04), who was also bowled after continuing his innings from where he left off after he retired with an injury the previous day.
Meanwhile, Ricardo Adams (97) laboured in vain as he recorded his highest score of this year’s tournament before he was caught on the mid-wicket boundary off Raj Nanan as he attempted to reach his milestone. The powerful left hander scored most of his team’s runs during an unusually patient innings that lasted for 158 balls and contained 11 fours and a six. Khan was supported by Nanan (2-28) and Zaheer Mohamed (2-32) as Essequibo folded for 145 in 61.2 overs.
The win placed Demerara atop the tournament’s points standing as they await the result of the other match between Berbice and the GCB Development team which will conclude today at the Wales Community Development Centre ground.
Scores in the match:
Essequibo first innings – 263 all-out: Ricardo Adams 54, Tulsiram Premnauth 44, Royan Fredricks and Brian Herbert 40 each while Khan took 4-50 and Barnwell 3-28). Essequibo second innings 145 all-out 61.2 overs (Ricardo Adams 97 while Khan claimed 5-31).
Demerara first innings – 227 all-out in 65.1 overs (Barnwell 62 and Chandrika 52 while Anthony Adams and Hemchand Persaud captured four wickets each). Demerara second innings 185-3 in 47 overs (Chandrika 90 not -out).
