Demerara opened their title hunt in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-17 Inter county tournament with an emphatic 65-run victory over Essequibo yesterday at the Lusignan Community Center Ground as national table tennis player Niron Bissu spared his team’s blushes.
Demerara took first strike and were rattled early as Sylvian Williams with the new ball removed Navindar Persaud (08), Andrew Samaroo (00) and Dwayne Dick (00), with just 18 runs on the board.
With a lot resting on the shoulders of captain, Sachin Singh, he too departed for nine after edging a delivery to the wicketkeeper off of Sheldon Charles to leave the Demerara innings in tatters at 20-4.
When Charles removed Hemnauth Dindyal without scoring for the fifth wicket it seemed all over bar the shouting but Andre Seepersaud held his ground to fend off the surging Essequibo bowling attack. Seepersaud was joined by Yeudister Persaud and they took the score from 5-21 to 71 before Persaud hoisted Charles in the air and was caught for 29.
Bissu, fresh from winning two table tennis tournaments last weekend, teamed up with Seepersaud for a 62-run seventh wicket stand which saw Demerara passing the three figure mark.
Seepersaud, however, became too ambitious and eventually lofted a delivery from Baldesh Parsharan down the throat of deep extra cover for a well composed 42 while Bissu soon followed dismissed via a similar shot for 17.
Charles (3-21) and Williams (3-19) were the bowlers who contained the Demerara batting but with 32 extras, Demerara had set Essequibo 144 to win from their 50 overs.
In reply, Essequibo started steadily but Rhritik ‘Sourav’ Singh was not to be denied and led the rout of the Essequibo team beginning with the removal of Amir Singh (11) followed by a beautiful quicker ball from the off spinner to remove Amir Mohammed (01). He then trapped Mahesh Ramnarine lbw for three.
Bissu then accounted for the two crucial wickets of national players, Lance Roberts (13) and Williams (12) as Essequibo fell for 78.
Demerara will face Berbice at GCC tomorrow while Essequibo will contest against Select U15 team at the Lusignan Community Center Ground. Both matches begin at 09:30h.
