Demerara booked their place in the final of the Hand-in-Hand under – 19 inter-county one-day tournament by defeating Essequibo by 96 runs at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground, yesterday.
It was a completed performance by the eventual winners who after winning the toss, elected to bat and posted 223-5 from their allotted 50 overs.
Opener and national under-19 batsman Adrian Hinds led the way with an attractive knock of 73 inclusive of four fours and a maximum.
The left-hander, who stroked his way back into form, shared a 78-run stand with Alphius Bookie who carved out an unbeaten half-century – 67 – which was decorated with two fours and three maximums.
Bookie, who held the innings together in the middle passage, later joined forces with skipper Ashmead Nedd in the closing stages of the innings and the duo added 46 runs to push the score past the 200 run mark.
Nedd, who dominated the stand with his 24-ball 34 was dismissed at the end by seamer Elain Whyte (2-56) who was the pick of the bowlers.
Manesh Ramnarine (1-29), Amit Persaud (1-43) and Lance Roberts (1-34) were the other wicket-takers.
Essequibo, in response, was in tatters early on in their chase after being reduced to 60-6. The innings was never resuscitated as were dismissed 127 in 37 overs as left-arm spinner Daniel Mootoo ripped through the middle order to snare 4-18 from his ten overs to set up the win.
Only Roberts batted at number five and watched as
wickets tumbled from one end, showed resistance and finished unbeaten on 53 after lacing three fours and two maximums.
Ameer Singh (22) and skipper Kevin Sinclair (18) were the only other men to reach double figures. Joel Spooner (2-27), Qumar Torrington (1-16), Pradesh Balkishun (1-15) and Nedd (1-7) were the other wicket-takers.
Demerara will now take on Berbice tomorrow at GCC in the final. (Royston Alkins)
