Wily Devers (9-47) spin Demerara to CLICO U-17 title

Sep 14, 2008 Sports

---

Berbice crash to innings & 45-run defeat  Wily Sixteen-year-old off-spinner Ricardo Devers befuddled the Berbice batmen to capture nine wickets for Demerara on the last day of their final round CLICO under-17 two-day Inter-County cricket match yesterday to send the defending champions crashing to an innings and 45 runs defeat at the Wales Community Centre ground.

Resuming on their overnight score of 26-4 replying to Demerara’s 176, Berbice slumped  to an embarrassing 48 all out, 18 minutes before lunch as pacer Seon Daniels (4-20), West Indies under-15 leg-spinner Amir Khan (3-6) and Devers (2-10) did the damage with the ball for the home team.

Asked to follow-on, needing 128 to avoid an innings defeat, Berbice slumped to 83 all out from 48.2 overs in their second innings as the lanky Devers, who took the Man-of-the-Match Award, spun webs around the Berbicians to finish with 7-37 from 18 overs and match figures of 9-47. Khan supported with 2-21 from 20.2 overs and match figures of 5-27.

After Daniels had rocked the top order with 4-20 on the first day, Berbice lost their last six first-innings wickets for just 18 runs yesterday as they catapulted to the lowest total in the competition on a slow track.

Khan removed Andrew Dennis (7) at 34-5 and Sharmindra Hardial (5) six runs later before National under-19 pacer Keon Joseph was run out for a duck at 43-7.

The poor batting performance continued as Devers and Khan; who had Dominique Rikhi, (one of only two batsmen to reach double figures) leg before for 11, wrapped up the innings. 

Demerara only needed a draw to regain the title but their coach and former first-class off-spinner Garvin Nedd, opted to go for the outright win and enforced the follow-on in sultry conditions and by lunch Berbice were 13 without loss.

Once the spin pair of Devers and Khan were introduced to operate in tandem, the Berbice batting again crumbled although the out-of form Jomal LaFluer was pushed down the order and the 13-year-old Rikhi was asked to open.

Chattergoon (4) once again never suggested permanence and soon drove Devers to short extra-cover as Demerara made the break through at 17-1.

Jamally Odle who struck Devers for two fours as he used his feet nicely, looked the best of the Berbice batsmen and along with the stubborn Rikhi took the score to 36 before Rikhi (9) spooned Devers to short mid-wicket.

Clinton Pestano (2) got himself into a tangle to a big turning off-break and leg before at 42-3 while one run later substitute fielder Madha Dhanpaul held a stupendous diving catch running in from deep mid-wicket to send Odle (18) packing while LaFluer was comprehensively bowled for two at 52-5 as Devers continued to torment the batsmen with his flight and spin.

Dennis (5) was leg-before at 56-6 off Khan who had two catches and a stumping missed off his bowling as he kept one end ‘locked up’ as Devers ploughed through the batting line-up from the other end.
Joseph (4) missed a big drive at Devers and was bowled while Yogeshwar Deonarine (1) was run out as Berbice stumbled to 60-8.

More seepage under the covers from a short shower delayed the inevitable but when play resumed Devers took his wicket tally to 13 from two matches when he bowled Mohan (8) at 68-9.

Hardial offered some late order fight before he was leg before to Khan to spark wild celebrations among the Demerara players and fans at the ground.

Coach Nedd, easily the best of the three coaches in the competition, praised his bowlers for their outstanding work in dismissing Berbice twice while Berbice Coach, 22-year-old Julian Moore, who played in this competition a few years ago and showed plenty of potential to develop into a top coach at the youth level, lamented his team’s batting performance even as he praised the bowling performances of Devers, Khan and Daniels.      

At the presentation, Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Vice-President Alvin Johnson thanked CLICO for their continued support and was high in praise for the officials and ground staff of the Wales Community Centre for the job they did on the ground.

Johnson said that in the past the Board’s concern was that there was no competition between the under-15 and under-19 levels and informed the gathering that in December all of the regional teams will participate in a West Indies under-17 tournament in Trinidad.

Johnson also said that Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s achievement of being named the Cricketer of the Year should inspire the youths to work hard and show commitment to become more Chanderpauls in the future.
CLICO’s Anisa Johnson congratulated the champions and the GCB for a well organized tournament and committed her company’s support for next year’s competition.

In addition to the Man-of-the-Match award, Devers received the award for the Best Bowler in the competition, while his Skipper Dexter Solomon was adjudged the tournament’s Best Wicketkeeper.
Essequibo opening batsman Herell Greene, who scored 118 runs in his two matches, received the award for Best Batsman in the competition. (Sean Devers)

---

---