Rain washed out play between Demerara and the Berbice at Wales but a savage ton from Keemo Paul helped Essequibo crush the U17 Select by 56 runs in their match in round two of the Guyana Cricket Board GCB) Hand-In-Hand 50 over U19 tournament played yesterday.
While Demerara were anticipating another possible win after beating the Essequibians by 124 runs a few days ago in the first round, rain intervened yesterday, washing out the entire encounter without a ball being bowled. After a few inspections, officials called off the match at 14:30hrs after groundsmen did their best to tend to the waterlogged outfield. Meanwhile over at Everest, Paul the West Indies U19 vice-captain clobber some 15 sixes and eight fours in a brutal innings of 156 off 120 balls.
After racking up 231 for 8 in 44 overs batting first, Essequibo bowlers; off-spinner Looknauth Chinkoo (3-19), left-arm spinner Akinie Adams (2-23) and seamers Paul (2-40) and Reaz Khan (2-30) produced a clinical effort, to knock over the U17’s for a fighting 175 with wicket-keeper/batsman Joshua Persaud resisting with 58.
Paul despite being given a life on 82, shrugged off his error to open up and showcases his skills as one of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball of all the Guyana youth players. Only U 17 Select left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd managed to avoid the brutality as he ended with figures of 2 for 15.
In the end the decent total proved a bit too much for the youths who have been playing very well through the inter-county season.
The third and final round of the U19 tournament is set for tomorrow.
