Off-spinner Jonathan Rampersaud bagged a career-best 5-3 from eight overs as defending champions Berbice romped to an emphatic 5 wicket win over Demerara at the scenic Everest Cricket Club ground, on Tuesday in round two of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) Dave West Indian Imports Under-15 Inter-County championship.
The off-spinner opened the bowling from the Carifesta avenue end and never looked back as he ripped out the Demerara top three in fast succession. Shamar Yearwood (05), Mavindra Dindyal (03) and Rommel Daterdeen (00) were victims of the Rose Hall Town Sports Club’s young spinner’s opening spell.
Though Budram Lakeram is short in height, he bowled with a lot of guile and control to keep Demerara in check
Jeremy Sandia chipped in with 3-2 (6 overs) while the diminutive Budram Lakeram ended with 2-2 (3.3 overs) for Berbice who kept their victims to 50 all out in 20.3 overs. Although lethal, the Berbice bowlers were sloppy, gifting some 21 runs in extras to their opponents with opening bowler, Isia Thorne the main culprit.
In all, Berbice used four bowlers and will go in to their final preliminary round match on Thursday against Essequibo at Everest CC unbeaten and full of confidence. The boys from the east will use that match as useful practice as they head to the historic Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda on Saturday to defend their title.
Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Demerara never got out the blocks, losing their first top six batters for just 40 runs on the board. Oddly enough, there were three boundaries in the Demerara innings, one from opener Yearwood and a pair from the top-scorer Chanderpaul Rajpat who made 11.
Man-of-the-match Off-spinner Jonathan Rampersaud takes a return catch to dismiss Rommel Datterdeen on Tuesday at the Everest Cricket Club ground (John Ramsingh photo)
After exposing the top order, Rampersaud, Sandia and Lakeram then ran through the middle/lower-order to wrap up the innings minutes before lunch. Chasing a low total, the Ancient County boys ended on 51-5, led by Zeynol Ramsammy’s 12.
The wickets were shared among three bowlers who claimed one each while there were two run outs, opener Mahendra Gopilall (01) and Ramsammy. Berbice were aided by some 15 extras thanks to the Demerara bowler’s lackluster performance.
Meanwhile, over at the Tuschen Ground, the GCB President’s XI was able to put up an acceptable 81 for 8 in their allotted 32 overs but was not enough to restrict Essequibo at the crease.
After a prolonged shower put a halt to proceedings during the President’s XI innings, Hemendra Gurdayalal scored 16 runs, while Saffei Shazad contributed with 24 not out. Bowling for Essequibo, Gladwin Henry picked up 4 wickets for 19 runs.
Essequibo in reply, comfortably reached their target with 5 wickets to spare to bounce back from their opening round defeat at the hands of Demerara last Sunday at Lusignan. Ranaldo Scouten top scored with 40 runs, hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes, while Jarrad Allicock and Mahendra Basdeo scored 15 runs separately. Bowling for President X1, Yohence Anjoy, Aryan Persaud, Tulesh Shivrattan, Mitra Dhanraj and Shreedat Roopnarine collected 1 wicket each as Essequibo eased to the 5-wicket victory.
