Five wicket hauls from Joel Fortune and Joshua Jones saw Essequibo earning a lead of 148 heading into today’s final day of their second round clash against Select U-17 XI in the Guyana Cricket Board/Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Under-19 Inter-County tournament at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Camp Road.
With play starting half an hour earlier due to rain yesterday, Essequibo resumed on 267-7 but added just 23 more runs to total 290.
The U17s dropped Fortune on 10 but skipper Sachin Singh removed Jones for 34 and Reyaz Khan was trapped leg before by Sylvian Williams in the next over while Saif Amoi uprooted the off stump of Sherlan Anthony to close off the innings.
When U17s batted they lost Fawaz Gafoor early, Jones picking up his first wicket while Singh plucked out the catch to help dismiss Kurt Lovell off of Fortune for 26.
At lunch the U17s were 42-2.
However a partnership of 69 from 336 balls between Navindra Persaud and Ameer Singh frustrated the Essequibo team. With the runs drying up, and the second new ball available, Jones and Fortune enjoyed a field day moving the ball around and having the batsmen backing away.
Ameer was the first to go after a painstaking stay at the crease, finding the faintest of outside edges that carried to the wicketkeeper.
He made 32 from 171 balls and the score 111-3 and upon his dismissal, the other seven wickets fell for 33 runs.
Persaud brought up his 50 from 222 balls before he edged a delivery from Jones six balls later to Reyaz Khan at backward point.
Jones bowled Saeed Hakh and Williams while Fortune bamboozled the batsmen, bowling Yeudister Persaud, fresh off an unbeaten 90 to go for a second ball duck.
He then had Charles stumped and trapped Amoi leg before as the U17s were bundled for 144 leaving Hritik Singh unbeaten on eight with two boundaries from three deliveries. Jones impressed with 5-40 while Fortune bagged 5-20 from 15 and 27 overs respectively.
With only eight minutes of play, Essequibo faced two overs to close on 4-0 with Kevin Christian and Mark Ramsammy unbeaten on one.
The final day begins at 10:00h at the same venue.
