GCB Intercounty Super50: Demerara dethrone Berbice in see-saw final

A spectacular bowling performance from their team at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground, Bourda on Saturday spurred Demerara to a thumping victory over defending champions Berbice in the final of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Senior Intercounty Super50 tournament.
Watched by a smattering of avid fans, Berbice won the toss and opted to bowl first. They dismissed Demerara for just under 200 runs. However, the Berbice batting fell apart at the seams as eventual Man of the Match, Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, created much discomfiture for the visitors.
Unlike the past two games, Tagenarine Chanderpaul had an early farewell, going for just 5 runs off 7 balls. Mavindra Dindyal went soon after, for 2 from another 7 balls. With Chandrapaul Hemraj making a quick 29 from 23 deliveries before succumbing to Romario Shepherd’s bowling, Tevin Imlach and Akshaya Persaud were left to pick up the pieces.

Their 51-run partnership breathed new life into the Demerara batting, but it was Richie Looknauth’s 52 off 50, including 5 fours and 2 sixes, that really kept Demerara going.
Imlach and Persaud eventually went for 39 and 21 respectively, while Sherfane Rutherford contributed a valuable 21 off 41 deliveries to get Demerara to a defendable 194 all out in 39.5 overs.

Almost immediately, it was apparent that Berbice would make a mess of the chase. The usually dashing Kevin Sinclair hadn’t much to contribute in the final, notching 10 from 11 balls, while Nigel Deodat and the experiment up the order, Clinton Pestano, found themselves back in the dugout for 7 and 6 runs respectively.
All eyes were then on Shimron Hetmyer, who looked good to make a game of the chase with 5 classy hits to the boundary. However, Hetmyer’s display was short-lived as Ronald Ali Mohamed had him caught behind for 25 off 23 balls.
Kevlon Anderson was the anchor for the Berbicians, making a patient 40 off 52 balls, but as Anderson tried to grab hold of the chase, the wickets kept tumbling around him.

Rutherford picked up the wickets of Anderson and Seon Hetmyer, while Ali Mohamed scalped Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie and Veerasammy Permaul to leave Berbice reeling at 119-8. By this time it was pretty much a case of seeking to have the tail wag the dog, and as Shemar Joseph brought out the much-needed shots, a cheeky stumping by Demerara Captain Imlach brought an anticlimactic end to the disastrous innings.
Berbice were bowled out for 131 in 28.3 overs.
As he prepared to lift the Championship Trophy, Imlach was effusive in praise for the entire Demerara unit.
“Very exciting! You know, the guys, at every point they turned up. The bowlers especially, they did well for us throughout the tournament, restricting Berbice to a low total in the first game, and the other games they did the same; and today was an example of it. The seamers bowling excellent, the spinners…it was great. Couldn’t ask for a better team,” Imlach highlighted.
He went on to add, “It was very simple. We’ve been doing well as a bowling unit, they’ve been very disciplined, so, it’s just about continuing down that vein, continue down that line and stay consistent; and they did it!”
While Tagenarine Chanderpaul was adjudged the tournament’s best batsman and ‘player of the series’, Kevin Sinclair was named the best bowler.
On the premise of performances in the GCB Intercounty tournament, Guyana’s Squad for the Regional Super50 is expected to be announced soon. (Jemima Holmes)