Umrao restricts Essequibo to 62 as Berbice sit pretty – Benjamin, Deodat among runs on Day 2

Hand-in-Hand 3-Day Inter-County tournament…

by Brandon Corlette

Kelvin Umrao spun his way to his fifth 5-wicket haul in the Hand-in-Hand 3-Day Inter-County Cricket match played between Berbice and Essequibo at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground; in process bundling out Essequibo for a mere 62 in 27.1 overs.
Berbice had earlier posted 200 all out, with Garfield Benjamin carefully constructing a fine half-century while Nigel Deodat narrowly missed out on his half-century, scoring 48. Berbice remained in control of the match with a healthy lead of 138.
Resuming the second day on 107-6 in 32.1 overs, Berbice reached 200 all in 76.1 overs, with rain playing a role in the match. The defending champions achieved this score thanks to an 85-run seventh wicket partnership between Garfield Benjamin and Nigel Deodat.
Due to the inclement weather, the match began at 12:15 hours and saw the rain intervening at 13:19 hours. Berbice were then on 167-6, scored in 65.2 overs. During that wicketless 64-minute session, Deodat remained unbeaten on 45 and Benjamin on 38. Play resumed at 13:30 hours, and it was an action packed mini-session that saw 33 runs scored and the remaining four wickets fall.
Benjamin, Tucber Park’s gifted batsman, looked solid in his stroke play, while Blairmont’s Deodat looked to play his shots but gifted his wicket away, missing out on a half-century when he scooped a delivery from Amit Persaud to Jerimiah Scott at short cover when he was on 48. He departed with the score on 172-7, after hitting four timely boundaries in his 88- minute innings.
Benjamin was then partnered by his Tucber Park team mate Leon Swamy, and the duo added 17 runs, in the process of which Benjamin reached his half-century; but he soon after found himself wanting when he hit one into the hands of the fielder at short cover and became Amit Persaud’s fifth wicket.
Benjamin’s innings comprised an even fifty that came off 145 balls in 121 minutes, during which he smoked one six and four boundaries in his well-composed knock.
The power-packed player Leon Swamy had a breezy innings of 12 runs, consisting of one six and one four; while Kelvin Umrao hit a lone six before Berbice were dismissed for 200 all out in 76.1 overs.
Junior Sinclair, who scored a 50 on day 1, and Garfield Benjamin were the main contributors, along with Nigel Deodat, who scored 48.
Bowling for Essequibo, the spin twins of Amit Persaud and Lance Roberts recorded respective figures of 6-93 in 31.1 overs, including 6 maidens, and 4-42 in 18 overs.
In a tricky session before tea, Essequibo openers survived some top-flight fast bowling from Leon Swamy and Kevlon Anderson to reach the interval at 20 without loss in five overs.
In the final session of play, a rampaging Berbice side took control of the game, picking up wickets at regular intervals. Only Orlando Jailall and Kevin Christian offered the Berbice team any resistance, Jailall scoring 18 from 20 balls and Christian 14 from 34 balls.
Essequibo were eventually bowled out for a mere 62 in 27.1 overs.
Berbice Bowler Kelvin Umrao, snaring 5-24 in 11.1 overs, picked up his second five-wicket haul in as many matches, and his fifth overall at inter-county. He was well supported in a collective bowling effort by skipper Kevlon Anderson with 3-12 and left-arm pacer Chris Harry with 2-6.
After the innings had ended, the heavens opened up and ended the day’s play. Berbice, who will resume batting at 10:00h, enjoy a commanding lead of 138 runs.