A six-wicket haul with the ball coupled with a useful cameo with the bat from Alvin Mohabir inspired Demerara to a massive 139-run win over Essequibo in the first match of the Guyana Cricket Board Under-17 Inter-County tournament yesterday.
Playing at the beach-like La Bonne Intention cricket facility under sweltering heat, Demerara won the toss and opted to bat first, duly posting 205 for eight from their allotted 50 overs. When the innings changed, so did the weather and Essequibo were bowled out for 66 in 34.5 as their innings was stopped twice due to the threat of rain.
Essequibo’s innings was also truncated by off-spinner, Mohabir, who is leading the side. The Transport Sports Club player was virtually unplayable during the overcast setting and bagged 6-11 including a hat trick to end the innings when he removed Aderi Brown, Natron Gill and Gulcharran Chuli to see Essequibo lose six wickets for 14 runs.
Their best partnership came between Shaaziff Mohamed (21) and Benny Persaud (15) who shared in a 37-run stand before both of them fell in consecutive overs after the rain interruption. They were the only two batsmen to reach double figures and extras contributed 18. Dillon Ramsaroop bagged 2-9.
Earlier, Jadon Campbell was the most fruitful batsman for Demerara, scoring 47 from 94 balls. With the ball hitting the sand and plugging as well as breaking speed due to the heavy vegetation, boundaries were few and far between but the running between the wickets was good.
Campbell shared a solid opening partnership with Romeo Deonarine worth 85. Deonarine was once again patient and calculated in his innings, using the gaps to his advantage on his way to 24 from 71 balls.
Cameos also came from Sachin Balgobin with 22 and Mohabir who made 21 before suffering an issue with his foot that forced him to retire hurt.
Extras chalked up 37 as national table tennis player Jonathan Van Lange made 18 and Mavindra Dindyal and Shiloh Adams made 12 runs each. Mohamed was the principal bowler with 2-19.
