Solid half centuries b
y Raymond Perez and Adrian Sukwah, followed by an unbeaten knock by skipper Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed placed the Guyana Under-17 at 211-9 at the end of day one of their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) U-19 final round match against Demerara.
Played at the Everest Cricket Club ground yesterday, Perez was first to reach fifty before getting out
for 69 while Sukwah batted deep for 54 and Ali-Mohamed steered his team during the latter part of the day with an unbeaten 42.
All-rounder Sherfane Rutherford, like he did in the first round against Essequibo, showed how dangerous he can be with both the old and new ball, bagging 4-30 while leg spinner Ershad Alli captured 3-26 and part-time off-spinner Malcolm Hubbard claimed 2-28.
After opting to take first strike, the U-17 reached 30 before losing their first wicket, Joshua Persaud to Rutherford for 10. However, subsequent to the loss of Persaud’s wicket, Demerara had to wait another 94 runs as the under-17s dominated the first session, before picking up another victim. Hubbard caused that breakthrough which ended a solid partnership between Perez and Sukwah, who batted at number three.
After Perez’s dismissal, the U-17s slumped to 155-6, as Ali ripped through the middle order. He first bowled the very talented Steve Deonarine for nought, before accounting for surprise pick Romain Moniram who also was bowled without scoring and the prize wicket of Sukwah. Hubbard collected Timothy McCalmont’s wicket during this period. A seventh-wicket partnership worth 29 runs between Ali-Mohamed and Ashmead Nedd halted Demerara’s charge, before the skipper’s determination helped his side to survive the day. Resuming the second day at 10am today, Ali-Mohamed and last man Tameshwar Motiram will be looking to increase their team’s first innings total.
