A captain’s knock from Man-of-the-Match Anthony Adams ensured Essequibo remained favourites for the Guyana Cricket Board 50-overs Franchise League title after thrashing Upper Corentyne by 123 runs and earning another bonus point on a humid Monday at the Port Mourant Cricket Club ground, East Berbice.
Upper Corentyne won the toss and decided to put Essequibo in to bat and they duly reached 236-9 from their allotted overs.
Upper Corentyne, in reply, only managed 113 in 32.2 overs at the venue that has been without power for over three months.
Dimitri Cameron rocked Essequibo early, reducing them to 19-2, losing their two experienced batsmen in Kevon Boodie, who was caught at short mid-wicket and Kemol Savory, who guided a short pitched delivery to the wicket-keeper.
Opener Pradesh Parsotam was rotating the strike well and survived when left-arm spinner, Garuav Ramesh, put down a sharp return.
Parsotam was lucky once again, this time dropped by Anthony Bramble who was fielding at short cover.
Aided by the dropped chances, Essequibo recovered to reach 89-5 thanks to Ricardo Adams (18) Chetram Persaud (29), Ronsford Beaton (24) and Mark Williams (21).
Anthony Adams then came to the crease and smashed three fours and two sixes, both of which landed on the roof of the Neighborhood Democratic Council building down the ground on his way to an unbeaten 51 while Neiland Cadogan clobbered a 13-ball 23, dispatching Ramesh for two sixes out the ground in the mid-wicket region.
Cameron ended with 3-41 while Ramesh was expensive, travelling for 63 runs and taking two wickets.
In their reply, Upper Corentyne’s Alex Algoo got off the mark with a beautiful cut shot for four off of Beaton but was involved in two identical run outs with the batsmen pushing past the bowlers and miscommunication, allowing the fielder to return the ball to Kemol Savory who executed perfectly on both occasions. Savory then held on to a soft edge by Algoo while Beaton forced an easy return catch from Jonathan Rampersaud who attempted a pull shot.
With the innings in tatters on 16-4, danger man, Anthony Bramble took the aggressive approach which did not pay off as Beaton found the toe end of his bat and the offering was taken at mid-on.
Clinton Pestano and Eon Lovell were the only two batsmen to show some fight with Pestano launching Ricardo Adams for three consecutive fours. Pestano and Lovell scored 35 and 31 respectively before both were dismissed by Persaud.
Anthony Adams returned with the ball to take 2-19 while Beaton (2-20) and Persaud (3-17) ensured Essequibo remained in contention.
Meanwhile, at Bush Lot, the contest was reduced to 32 overs due to rain with West Berbice winning by two runs against East Bank who remain winless. West Berbice, batting first, raced to 216-6 with Gudakesh Motie top scoring with an unbeaten 58. He received support from Javed Karim and Kevin Sinclair with 34 and 24 respectively. Trevon Griffith picked up 2-42. In reply, East Bank came close but were unable to cross the line after being restricted to 214-7 despite Sherfane Rutherford stroking 98 with six sixes and five fours and Griffith adding 24, with four fours and one six. Seon Glasgow picked up 3-31.
