Demerara thrashed Berbice by eight wickets while Essequibo defeated Select Under-15 by two wickets yesterday in the second round of the Guyana Cricket Board/Bel Air Rubis Under-17 inter-county tournament.
At Everest Cricket Club, defending champions Demerara raced to 111 for two in 21.5 overs, responding to Berbice’s 108 all out, which came in 41.3 overs.
Off-spinner Alvin Mohabir led Berbice’s rout with five for 19 in his 10 overs. The Transport Sports Club skipper sat on a hat-trick on two occasions, including the wickets of Leon Cecil (25) and Naresh Veersammy (00).
Mohabir’s performance capped off a dismal batting display by Berbice, who slipped to 20 for three after seamer Romel Datterdeen rocked the top order with his inswingers to end with three for 18 from five overs.
Mahendra Gurdyal top-scored with 34 from 74 balls while hitting four boundaries and led the resistance with a 31-run partnership alongside Jonathan Rampersaud, who fell for 20 just before the water break.
Gurdyal also added 29 for the fifth wicket with Cecil before Mohabir was introduced and found success immediately with Gurdyal’s wicket.
In the chase, Berbice were in the game early after Isai Thorne rushed the openers, eventually forcing Anthony Khan to fend off a simple catch to short square leg while Ajay Gainda was trapped leg before wicket for five as Demerara went to lunch on 29 for two.
Nevertheless, an unfinished partnership of 82 between Mavindra Dindyal and Jaden Campbell lifted Demerara to victory. Dindyal reached 50 not out from 52 balls, smashing eight fours and a six along the way, while Campbell ended on 42 from 48 balls, decorated with six fours and one six.
Over at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), an unbeaten half century from skipper Aryan Prashad and an all-round performance from Ronaldo Scouten guided Essequibo to their first victory at this level since 2018.
U-15s took first strike after winning the toss and posted 152 for nine in their allotted overs while the Cinderella county boys replied with 153 for eight in 48.1 overs. Prashad shepherded his side over the line with an unbeaten 51 coming from 143 balls and featuring two boundaries, despite being dropped on three occasions. With Essequibo falling to three for 26, Prashad forged a 70-run partnership alongside Scouten, who made a 36-ball 45. Scouten bashed four sixes and three fours, including 25 runs off of an over from Alex Datterdeen. Terrence Softley was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 14 before a mix up between the wickets resulted in him being run out. Wavell Allen picked up three for 19 while Salim Khan returned three for 22.
Earlier, U-15s threw away a perfect start and slipped from 90 for one, and lost their next eight wickets for 62 runs. Rampertab Ramnauth once again showed his class with a composed 78 from 100 balls, highlighted by eight fours and one six.
Ramnauth added 77 for the opening partnership with Ryan Latif (13) with number 10 batsman Bruce Vincent being the only other player to make double figures with 10.
Off-spinner Jared Allicock was the principal wicket taker, returning four for 28 while Scouten collected three for 18.
The final round will see Demerara facing Essequibo at GCC and Berbice battling U-15s at Everest tomorrow.
