Chinkoo, Fernandes keep Demerara at bay

GCB/Hand-In-Hand U-19 Inter-County 3-day…

By Akeem Greene

A gutsy sixth partnership worth 80 between Looknauth Chinkoo and Jonathan Fernandes rescued Essequibo after they were precariously placed at 101-5 on the second day of their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Hand-In-Hand Under-19, Inter-county, Three-day competition match against Demerara on Friday.
Playing at the Georgetown Cricket Club, Chinkoo made flamboyant 52 and Fernandes with 37 put the pressure back on Demerara with some smart batting. Essequibo eventually made 196.
At close of play, Demerara reached 16 without loss with Ronaldo Renee and Raymond Perez both on seven and their team trailing by 182 runs.
When play began at 11:40h, Essequibo won the toss and elected to bat, but only reached 14 when Nathan Persaud went for four off the bowling of medium-pacer Sherfene Rutherford.
Left-arm spinner Keshram Shabodan then trapped Siddiq Mohammed (11) plum leg before wicket and  Essequibo were now 35-2.
The incoming Keemo Paul struck his first ball for six off the bowling of Shabodan, but leg-spinner Darshan Persaud got one to turn which bowled the West Indies Under-19 player for seven and Essequibo slipped to 48-3.
Despite the steady fall of wickets, hard-hitting opener Mark Williams continued to bat positively, striking the ball over the in-field constantly.
Williams was dropped at slip by Rutherford off the bowling of Shabodan on 32, and then gave the same bowler a difficult return catch which he floored.
Soon after, the left-arm spinner got his man out leg before for an attractive 46 (7x4s) at 78-4.
The pair of Akini Adams and Looknauth Chinkoo sought to repair the early damage with good rotation of the strike and picking up the boundaries off bad balls, but the crafty  partnership came to an end when Adams played back to a delivery from off-spinner Travis Persaud and was bowled for 13 at 101-5.
Demerara missed out on further strengthening their position as wicketkeeper Ronaldo Renee missed a stumping chance against Jonathan Fernandes off the bowling of Malcom Hubbard when he was just on one.
Fernandes capitalised on the chance and his next three scoring shots were six, four and six.
The change of bowling did not work as Persaud faced the same faith as he was dumped into the pavilion for a massive six. Both batsmen continued in their attacking fashion as Essequibo reached tea at 155-5, with Chinkoo on 36 and Fernandes on  28.
The stand was broken when Fernandes was bowled Shabodan, striking two fours and three sixes.
Chinkoo carried on his flamboyant fashion, but was bowled by Rutherford just after reaching his century.
Chinkoo hit nine fours in his innings and fell with the score on 181-7, and in a dramatic twist to the match, the remaining wickets fell for just 16 runs. Rutherford led the way with 4-27 and Shabodan took 3-37.
Over at Wales, the Under-17s were 21 without loss when play came to a close. Earlier, Berbice were bowled out for 73. The final day’s play will begin today at 09:30h.