TCL Group three-day Under-19 cricket (1st round, 2nd day)…Sookdeo, Bramble hit fifties as Guyana take slim six-run 1st innings lead

Jul 06, 2008 Sports

---

By Sean Devers in Barbados
In Association with Digicel, TCL, Pepsi, Smalta, Demerara Power Company & Lifetime Reality
 
Debutants Jeetendra Sookdeo and Anthony Bramble hit half-centuries to spur Guyana to first innings points against the Leeward Islands on the second day of their first round TCL Group three-day regional under-19 cricket series at the Kensington Oval yesterday.

Guyana, resuming on 75-5 in reply to the Leewards’ 172, were dismissed for 178 to take a slim six-run first innings lead as Sookdeo (53) and Bramble (51) led the fight.

The Leewards were in trouble in their second innings on 116-6 and a lead of 110 at the end of the second day despite a fighting 42 from Kejal Tyson.  Pacer Leon Scott (3-36) and off-spinner Herman Latcha (2-9) have been the main wicket takers for the defending champions so far.   

Guyana began the penultimate needing another 98 runs for first innings points with five wickets in hand and on a track which got better for batting on the second day the overnight pair of Sookdeo and Bramble took their team to 112 in sultry conditions with intelligent batting.

Sookdeo, 37 overnight, batted fluently and reached a debut half-century from 151 minutes, 117 balls with four fours before he was run out 39 minutes before lunch after adding 39 for the sixth wicket with Bramble.

Latcha joined Bramble and the pair took the score to 130 before Latcha (2) was also run out as careless running by the Guyanese provided the Leeward Islands with two wickets in the first session.

Pacer Kevon Joseph (0*) and Bramble (39*) saw Guyana to 138-7 by lunch, still 35 runs away from first innings points.  

After the interval, Bramble pulled Phillip for his fourth four to reach his maiden fifty at this level from 166 minutes and 117 balls before he was caught behind off spinner Tervin Osbourne for 51 at 166-8 to end a fighting 28-run eighth wicket partnership.

Kevon Joseph (14) edged a catch to the keeper off Kelbert Walters one run later and the pressure was mounting on both teams as Guyana needed six runs for first innings points with their last pair at the crease.

Last man Totaram Bishun (7*) delicately steered Walters to third man for four to give Guyana first innings points before Leon Scott (1) was removed by Walters to end the innings. Left-arm spinner Jurnell Turner finished with 3-58 while Adelvin Phillip (2-27) and Osbourne (2-36) supported with the ball for the Islanders.

When the Leewards began their second innings, West Indies under-19 left-hander Kieran Powell again fell cheaply when the lively Joseph removed him for the second time in the game with just five runs on the board.

After executing an audacious pull to the mid-wicket boundary off the previous ball, Powell was again unable to curb his natural aggression and edged Joseph, bowling with genuine pace, to the Keeper Bramble.    

Sherwin Peters joined first innings centurion Chesney Hughes and counter-attacked the Guyana new ball pair with some delightful shots including consecutives boundaries off Scott in the fifth over to bring the sprinkling of spectators to life.

Peters was dropped by Bramble off Scott and both pacers beat the outside edge on several occasions in an impressive opening spell. 

Peters (19) was caught behind off Scott on the stroke of Tea to leave the score on 33-2 with the Islanders, who also lost first innings points to Guyana in a drawn match last year in St Kitts, enjoying a slim 27-run lead.  

Guyana struck early in the final session when the burly Kadeem Phillip (2) was brilliantly caught at long-leg by a leaping Joseph as he hooked at Scott to leave the score on 39-3. A stupendous catch low to his left at slip by Jonathan Foo off Scott accounted for Hughes (12) as the Leewards slipped to 51-4. Clinton Payne (13) then pushed forward to an arm-ball from Latcha and was taken at slip at 80-5. 

Wicketkeeper Jamar Hamilton joined Tyson who played some enterprising shots and the pair saw their team to 96 before Tyson, who hit six fours in his 75-ball 42, was neatly stumped off Latcha.

Walters (12*) and Hamilton (9*) then saw their team to the close without further loss.
Guyana’s Coach Hubern Evans said he was very pleased with the responsible batting of Sookdeo and Bramble and the contribution from the ‘tail’ yesterday.

“We saw a much improved batting performance from the lower order today and with first innings points in the bag the bowlers continued their good work in this match with another good performance today (yesterday)”, Evans said.

The Coach said that he is hoping to take the last for wickets today quickly so that Guyana will not have to chase more than 150 to win outright.  

---

---