Demerara opened their 2016 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-17 Inter-County 50-overs campaign, with a 142-run mauling of the U15 Select XI in their match played at the Wales Community Ground yesterday.
Chasing a relatively simple target of 213, the U15 Select XI crashed to 71 all out. Former national youth spinner Sagar Hatheramani, who had earlier compiled a solid 53 with five fours, returned to bag 2-15,while national youth left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd grabbed 3-10.
Kurt Lovell (44), Captain Bhaskar Yadram (32) and Joshua Persaud (28), all helped Demerara to their total before they were dismissed in 48.3 overs after U15 Select XI pacer Gevon Schultz bagged 3-48.
The U15 Select XI began their chase in a quite docile manner before losing a cluster of wickets. Openers Jarren France (04), who struck the first boundary for his team and Mohamed Shaw (06) were both comprehensively bowled by Colin Barlow (1-10) and Anthony Antonio (2-14) respectively.
At 23 for 2, the score quickly turned to 30-3 when Antonio, who was beginning to work up some pace, had Sachin Singh trapped lbw for a 16-ball eight with two fours.
Yeudister Persaud (05), faced some 31 deliveries for his five runs and was put out of his misery by Hatheramani who trapped him leg before wicket.
The off-spinner struck again, this time with a simple caught and bowl dismissal to send Seon Glasgow back to the dressing room for 14.
With half the team back in the pavilion, the U15 side eventually reached their 50 after some 26 overs. The wickets continued to fall cheaply when Sheldon Charles was knocked over by Yadram (2-5).
Lance Roberts smashed Yadram straight to Alphius Bookie at cover as he succumbed for a first ball duck while Amos Sarwan had his stumps disturbed by Nedd.
After putting up some resistance, Schultz was caught by Antonio at mid-on off Nedd who then had Deodat out leg before wicket.
Earlier, when Demarara batted, they got off to a flier compliments of Yadram and his opening partner Persaud who added 50 before the captain became the first wicket to fall after scoring a brisk 32 with four fours and a six.
National wicket-keeper/batsman Persaud looked good for his 28, hitting four fours before he was caught off the bowling off Nigel Deodat (2-39).
National youth batsman Bookie (04) and Rajendra Singh (09), fell cheaply as Demerara slipped to 95 for 4 after being 50 for 1.
Lovell began to rebuild the innings but lost his partner in Nedd (04). He then joined forces with Hatheramani as they bailed their team out of a bad position.
More renowned for his deceptive spin bowling, the left-hander batted like a genuine top-order batsman, playing sensibly while Lovell supported well and should have gotten 50 too had he not been outfoxed by Dick.
Tiny off-break bowler Sarwan (1-11) bagged the wicket of Hatheramani while Schultz and Glasgow ripped through the remaining batsmen, bringing the innings to an end at the stroke of lunch.
Round two continues tomorrow with Essequibo vs Demerara at Enterprise Ground and U15 Select playing Berbice at Wales.
