Georgetown in charge of Upper Corentyne

Jaguars Franchise League, Round 7

— Suknanan 6/78, Surujnarine 127*highlight opening day

Spinner Gajanand Suknanan and opening batsman Robin Bacchus valuable returns with ball and bat respectively put host Georgetown in a commanding position against Upper Corentyne on the opening day of the final round of the Jaguars Franchise League.
Yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda, Suknanan captured six wickets to restrict the visitors to 224 all out

before Bacchus finished unbeaten on 55 as Georgetown was comfortably placed on 116-2 some 108 runs adrift Upper Corentyne’s first innings total.
National wicket keeper batsman Anthony Bramble played brilliantly for 93 while discarded West Indies Test batsman Assad Fudadin scored 46, as they topped the visitors’ batting.
Opting to bat first, Upper Corentyne reached 24 before losing their first wicket, that of Jason Sinclair for 10, caught by wicket keeper Dexter Solomon off the bowling of skipper Christopher Barnwell.
Joshua Ramsammy (11) who batted at three was next out as new ball bowler Kellon Carmichael claimed his first victim. At that stage it was 39-2 and it became a bit worrying for the visitors. However, a 51-run third wicket stand between Fudadin and skipper Rajiv Ivan (21) gave the innings substance until the latter was caught at backward square to become Suknanan’s first victim.
It soon became 97-4 when Fudadin edged a ball to wicket keeper Solomon to give him his second catch and Suknanan his second victim. The demise of Fudadin was the last before lunch as Kevlon Anderon (03*) and Bramble on 24 not out saw their team to the break without another casualty.
During the second session the visitors lost four more victims but thanks to a superb knock by Bramble, who hit seven fours and two sixes, they also scored 124 runs during that said time. He first added 47 runs for the fifth wicket with Anderson (13) then 37 for the seventh with former national youth captain Shawn Perreira, who remained unbeaten on 17.
The right handed Bramble, mixed some pugnacious hitting with spectacular strokes to give his team a reasonable first innings total. However, in pursuit of his first century in the League he played a heave at Suknanan and was brilliantly caught by a diving Devon Lord on the mid-wicket boundary on the stroke of tea.
Shortly after the tea break, Suknanan collected his sixth wicket of the innings and Renaldo Ali-Mohamed collected his first to close the visitors’ innings. Sukanan captured 6-78 to spearhead Georgetown’s attack while Carmichael finished with two wickets.
It was a Georgetown show for the remainder of the final session except for the demise of Andrew Lyght jr. for 17 and Sunil Singh for 26. Eon Hooper and Keon Sinclair are the bowlers to capture the wickets.
Georgetown will resume the second day with 108 runs adrift of Upper Corentyne’s first innings total with eight wickets in hand. Barnwell (10 not out) will join Bacchus at the start of play on the second day.
At Tuschen ground second placed West Demerara were dismissed for 346 after they were asked to bat by Essequibo. Tagenarine Chanderpaul (54), Askhaya Persaud (54) and Romario Shephard (51) all made half centuries while Raymon Reifer contributed 49, Chabriraj Ramcharan 43 and Safraz Esau chipped in with 35. Bowling for Essequibo, Anthony Adams took 5/68 while Akinie Adams had 2/64.
In reply, Essequibo are on 87/3 with Kemo Paul on a blistering 43 not out (1×4) and (5×6). Shephard has so far taken 3/34.
At Port Mourant, West Berbice were dismissed for 174. Raffel Estraido top scored with 55 while Leon Andrews supported with 39. Bowling for Lower Corentyne, Veerasammy Permaul had 4/56, Kassim Khan took 3/38 and Raun Johnson took 2/57.
Lower Corentyne in reply were 283/3 at the close of play. Opener Surujnarine Kandasammy is unbeaten on 127 and Seon Hetmyer is not out on 51. Jonathan Foo earlier made 42 and Gajanand Singh chipped in with 26. Collis Butts, Andrew Dutchin and Brandon Bess have so far taken a wicket each.
At Enterprise, the home team, East Coast Demerara could only muster 125 all out batting first. Bhaskar Yadram top scored with 31, Paul Wintz made 22 and Chandrapaul Hemraj contributed 20. Bowling for East Bank Demerara, Stephen Harris had figures of 3/40, Totaram Bishun 3/12 and Stephen Jacobs 2/25.
East Bank Demerara in reply, were dismissed for 165 earning a first innings lead of 40 runs. Deonarine Seegobin struck 56, Sherfane Rutherford 35 and Tevin Imlach scored 30. Bowling for East Coast Demerara, Ameer Khan took 3/24, Chandrapaul Hemraj 3/38, Paul Wintz 3/39 and Kamesh Yadram 2/1.
Batting a second time and facing a 40 run deficit East Coast Demerara are 34/0 with Bhaskar Yadram 26 not out and Keon Roberts on 8.
Play continues at 09:30h across the venues.