The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ended day one of their Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/GISE/Star Party Rental/Trophy Stall first division two-day encounter against Everest Cricket (ECC) on 194 – 6, trailing by 88 runs at stumps at the DCC ground.
Honours on the opening day were shared between former West Indies opener Rajendra Chandrika who carried his bat and stroked a majestic unbeaten century while left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd captured a five-wicket haul.
The day began with Everest winning the toss and electing to bat. They reached 150 – 3 at the luncheon interval before being dismissed for 282 just before tea.
Chandrika, who has been struggling of late, looked in excellent touch and carved out several sweetly timed boundaries to end the first session on 85. With him was Ronaldo Renee, who was yet to score.
Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd at that point, accounted for the two dismissals of Tagenarine Chanderpaul (22) to breaking an 87-run opening partnership and he also removed Bhaskar Yadram (10).
Off-spinner Nkosi Beaton had the other wicket, removing skipper Akshaya Persaud (19) on the stroke of lunch.
Nedd struck the second ball after the break to dislodge Renee (0) caught at short leg before bowling Adrian Sukwah off a no ball, two deliveries later.
Chandrika, nevertheless, continued stroke the ball sweetly and recorded his century with a nudge onto the leg side.
He then lost partners a regular intervals as Sukwah (17), Gudakesh Motie (12) and Travis Mohammed (18) all failed to carry on after getting starts as Everest were dismissed for 282 in 62.4 overs.
Chandrika ended unbeaten on 149 in a knock which included 17 fours and a maximum.
Nedd, who found good areas and spun the ball well, was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 5-84 from 26 overs while Beaton grabbed 2-26 from six overs.
DCC, in their first innings, lost two early wickets to reach the tea interval with the score on 17 – 2 with Tevin Imlach (0) falling LBW to Yadram while Alphius Bookie (6) had his stumps disturbed by Motie.
Things looked a bit more daunting with score moving to 70 – 5 when the wickets of Joshua Persaud (27), Sherfane Rutherford (0) and Jahron Byron (3) fell in quick succession to set the side on the back foot.
Skipper Barnwell and Perez then combined for a 124-run seventh-wicket stand before Barnwell, who dominated the partnership, fell for a commanding knock of 89 with eight fours and five sixes.
Perez capitalized on his recent good form to end unbeaten on 63 after stroking six fours and solitary maximum.
Yadram (2-62) and Motie (2-50) were the pick of the bowlers.
