Essequibo captured their maiden three – day title after ending atop the points table when curtains came down on the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Jaguars three-day league yesterday.
Essequibo ended on 88 points after taking first innings over West Demerara in their drawn encounter at the Tushen Sports Club ground.
Upper Corentyne who collected 20.7 points in their triumph over Georgetown in their final round encounter finished second behind Essequibo on 78.7 points.
The game at Tuschen, however, saw West Demerara resuming on 81 – 5 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Richie Looknaught the overnight batsmen on 36 and five respectively, adding fifty runs between then before Chanderpaul who swept Anthony Adams to reach his fifty was dismissed for 55 attempting another only to spoon a catch to leg slip.
His demise left the score on 112 – 6 after stroking two fours in near five hours stay at the crease.
Essequibo then struck twice, soon after when Kevin Gordon bowled Avinash Daaniram (5), while Anthony Adams removed Looknaught (17) five runs later with the score ambling to 117-8.
Adams then collected the final two wickets to end with 6 – 44 to wrap up the innings for 156 in 108 overs, handing his side a 104 lead on the stroke of lunch.
Essequibo in their second innings, rocketed to 128 for five, declaring at tea, acquiring a lead of 232 runs and in the process entertained their fans as if to show a gesture of appreciation.
Opener Kevin Boodie who started his innings in a reckless fashion buckled down and started to pick the right deliveries to attack before he was bowled by Malcolm Hubbard for an even fifty from 34 deliveries and incisive of four fours and three sixes.
Among the men dismissed were Vijai Persaud who mustered a busy 21 inclusive of two enterprising scoop shots for four while Adams who laced three huge sixes, two of which landed on houses close by and two fours to end unbeaten on 32. Keshan Seyhodan grabbed 2 – 34.
West Demerara needing 233 to pull off an unlikely win reached 24 – 1 after 16 overs when the two captains decided to call time on the match.
Meanwhile, earning the top individual awards were Akshaya Persaud who scored 523 runs, including two centuries his highest 151 and two fifties, walking away with the most runs in the league while Balchand Baldeo came in behind him, scoring 501.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motoie’s 61 scalps were the most in the league, grabbing seven five wickets hauls with his best match returns being 13- 51 against Upper Corentyne.
Anthony Adams, on the other hand, was named the most valuable player in the league and also captured the ‘Best allrounder’ award after delivering Essequibo’s first major championship and in the process mustering 260 runs including a century as he snared 52 wickets, the second most in the tournament.
He was the only player in the league to capture a 10 – wicket haul and a century in this edition on the league. Allrounder Ricardo Adams who missed the final two rounds due to national commitments also had a good outing, snaring 23 wickets while compiling 328 runs in the process.
The best wicketkeeper prize went to Kemol Savory for his tidy exploits behind the stumps. The most promising player award went to national under – 19 captain Ronaldo Ali Mohammed for his 447 runs and 13 wickets while his fellow national under – 19 teammate Kevlon Anderson was also contending after notching up 370 odd runs during the league.
