Perez, Ali-Mohammed inspire G/town to upset over defending champs

Demerara Inter-Association U-19 championship

‒ East Bank, East Coast tie

Defending champions, West Demerara suffered an early set back in their quest for their fifth successive Demerara Inter-Association Under-19 title after losing to Georgetown by 126 runs in their opening game yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club Ground.
Georgetown’s victory was inspired by Raymond Perez, who scored 110 and skipper Renaldo Ali-Mohammed, who was outstanding with bat and ball scoring 52 before returning to take six wickets.
Georgetown scored 241-8 from 50 overs after being inserted by West Demerara who folded for 115 in 32.2 overs.

The City side started the match with eight players in yet another disappointing start to a tournament hosted by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) in the absence of a non-functioning Demerara Cricket Board (DCB).
However, apart from the shortage of players at the start they fared well throughout the day, benefitting from the performances of two of their players with national experience.
Perez and Ali-Mohammed added 96 for the fourth wickets to set the platform for their team after they had lost three wickets for 72. The former accounted for 11 boundaries while Ali-Mohammed smashed four fours and two sixes in his quick-fire innings. They were the main contributors in their team’s 200 plus score.
Mark Jeffers and West Demerara skipper Richie Looknauth led their team’s bowling with three scalps apiece while left arm spinner Keshram Seyhodan grabbed two victims.
Ali-Mohammed ran through the West Demerara top order as he picked up the first five wickets during their turn at the crease. They later slipped to 81-7 and never recovered from there as only Looknauth with 38 not out was resilient against the Georgetown bowlers.
In the latter part of the visitors’ innings, the right arm medium fast bowler, Ali-Mohammed, returned to pick up his sixth wicket and brought the city side within sight of victory against the four-time defending champions.
Off-spinner Dwayne Dick bowled well for his two scalps for Georgetown while Darshan Persaud and Joshua Persaud claimed one wicket each.
In the other match at the Ogle Community Centre Ground, hosts East Bank and East Coast played to an exciting tie. Batting first, Romel Chatura hit a top score of 94 to guide East Coast to 152-8 in 35 overs as Kishan Singh took three victims while East Bank responded with 152-7 from 35 overs, with Navindra Persaud and Stefan Wilson contributing 52 and 46 respectively.
The tournament will continue on Saturday and Sunday.