Defending champions Demerara and arch-rivals Berbice were locked in a close tussle with Berbice ending day one of their Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire and Life Insurance/Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) U19 Inter-County three-day competition on 102-5, trailing Demerara by 46 runs at Lusignan, yesterday.
Demerara began the day on a positive note with Skipper Bhaskar Yadram calling correctly and electing to bat first.
The defending champions subsequently went into self-destruct mode with their batsmen playing loosely, gifting their wickets away to end the first session on 107 – 5.
Robin Wiliams (6) was the first to go via the run – out route while Sagar Hatirimani (9) was caught behind off the bowing of national U19 all-rounder, Javid Karim.
Opener Adrian Hinds and Yadram then combined for a 60-run, fourth-wicket stand before both threw their wickets away just as the partnership had begun to flourish.
Hinds, going for a big swipe was bowled by Leon Swamy for 35, which included five fours, leaving the score on 88-3 while Yadram, 13 runs later, after dumping his opposite number, Kevin Sinclair for a four and a maximum, held out at long-on, to fall for 43.
His innings included four fours and two sixes. It got gloomier for the defending champions when left-arm spinner, Keith Simpson, removed Stephon Wilson (3) to leave them with plenty to do after the break.
On resumption of play after the luncheon break, Demerara continued their reckless approach which saw them being bundled out for 148 at the end of the 49th over of their innings.
Nkosi Beaton (14) and Dwain Dick (17) were the only men to put up any resistance. Sinclair, bowing his off-spinners was the chief destroyer, ending with 4-17 from 10 overs. Simpson collected 2-38 from 12.
Berbice in their first innings response, saw their openers Alex Algoo and Junior Sinclair facing a steady opening burst from seamer Qumar Torrington, who bowled with good steam.
A rain break subsequently interrupted play for nearly an hour after which West Indies U19 left arm spinner Ashmead Nedd removed both openers, Sinclair (6) and Algoo (15) to leave the score on 24 – 2.
Skipper Kevin Sinclair at that point started to chance his arm against Nedd and hammered him for 20 runs in one over to race to 50.
Nedd, however, got a measure of revenge by trapping him LBW for 58, a knock which included six fours and three sixes to leave the score on 87 for 3.
Off-spinner Dick got into the act and removed Karim (0) after which Nedd struck again by bowling Steve Deonarine (3) as Berbice ended the day one a 102 – 5.
Nedd has so far taken 4-45 from 11 overs.
The batsmen at the crease are Kevlon Anderson, who is unbeaten on a fighting 16 and Trevon Stanislaus on two.
