Youth cricket made its return with Demerara beating Essequibo by 76 runs in the Guyana Cricket Board/Hand-In-Hand Under-19 Inter-County one-day tournament yesterday.
The first-round match at the La Bonne Intention Ground, East Coast Demerara, was reduced to 38 overs a side to accommodate Essequibo returning home. Demerara won the toss and opted to bat, posting 162 for eight from their allotted overs before limiting Essequibo to 86 all out in 27.2 overs.
Essequibo got the upper hand early after tall, right-arm fast bowler, Jason Holder, found the edge of explosive opener Sachin Singh with the second ball of the innings.
However, Essequibo lost that advantage when Matthew Nandu and Ushardeva Balgobin joined forces. The pair added 76 runs from 123 balls and looked set in the middle.
Balgobin was the more aggressive of the two, constantly chipping down the pitch to the fast bowlers.
The left-handed West Demerara batsman was fortunate to score back-to-back boundaries over third man. He was also dropped on 25 and rode that momentum to stroke two sixes and four fours on his way to a 59-ball 45 before he was caught at point.
Nandu went on to play a responsible innings, eventually making 53 from 97 balls. His innings was decorated with four boundaries. He also put on 51 runs for the third wicket with Mavendra Dindyal.
Dindyal was busy at the crease but a mix up between the two resulted in the former West Indies Under-15 batsman being run out for 27 off of 37 balls. No other batsman reached double figures while extras accounted for 12.
Wazim Mohamed and Holder led the bowling with two wickets each for 26 and 28 runs respectively while Lance Roberts and Niko Vincent had one wicket a piece.
In the chase, Essequibo were unable to deal with the spin barrage of Demerara, led exquisitely by off-spinner, Dwain Dick. The former national under-17 all-rounder returned three for 15 while Nandu returned to take two for 21. Chaitram Balgobin was also successful, taking two for 10 and was supported by left-arm spinner, Zachary Jodah who had one wicket for five runs.
Sheldon Charles was the only batsman that looked settled as he made a patient 25 from 43 balls, with two boundaries. Vincent chipped in with 12 and extras contributed 18 but no other batsman got going.
Essequibo will battle Berbice tomorrow in the second round.
