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Hooper spurs Berbice to hard fought win over Essequibo
By Sean Devers
in Berbice
Man-of-the-Match Eon Hooper (right) collects his award from GTM’s representative Mr. Jones after his unbeaten 71 for Berbice, at Blairmont, yesterday.
Even without their two top players Essequibo gave defending champions Berbice a ‘run for their money’ before losing by three wickets in the final over of their GTM under-19 Inter County one-day cricket contest at the Blairmont ground, yesterday.
Another solid half-century partnership between openers Herrell Greene and Navin Singh provided the foundation for Essequibo’s 157-6 off 40 overs after the game, which was reduced by 10 overs per side, began two hours late due to seepage under the covers.
Berbice had to then fight ‘tooth and nail’ before Man-of-the-Match, Eon Hooper, who made an unbeaten 71 from 103 balls with two boundaries, dumped spinner Urendra Balgobin for four with five balls remaining in the closely contested encounter as the hosts reached 159-7.
Essequibo elected to bat first on a ‘graveyard dead’ pitch and an outfield which made scoring boundaries a Herculean task. Greene (47) and Singh (26) added 70 in 24 overs before Hooper removed Singh to end their third half-century partnership in the competition.
Keron MClennon (5) was run out 19 runs later, but Greene who scored 55 against Demerara in the opening three-day game, and stand-in Skipper Rovindra Parasram, took the score to 122 before Parasram, who hit two fours and two sixes in his 15-ball 29, drilled a catch to deep cover as leg-spinner Jonathan Foo made the break through.
Greene, a Guyana under-17 player, was then well stumped by national under-19 keeper and Berbice captain Anthony Bramble at 123-4 when he missed a leg-side wide. His attractive 47 lasted 90 balls and was decorated with three fours and a six.
Without regular Skipper Royston Alkins, who injured his knee in his team’s defeat against Demerara on Thursday, the Essequibo middle order lacked substance and national pacer Keon Joseph, who returned to competitive cricket following a three month lay-off due to a groin injury, showed that he had lost none of his pace. He quickly removed Dwayne Singh and Rovi Harris as Essequibo slumped to 128-6.
Dwayne Singh (1) showed little inclination to get behind the line after receiving a bouncer the previous delivery. He had his stumps scattered. Harris (0) charged down the track and was bowled, as Essequibo lost four wickets for five runs.
Floyd Henry hit a cameo unbeaten 17 while fellow left-arm spinner Anthony Adams made 11 not out to rally their team past the 150 mark.
Joseph finished with 2-36 while Foo, who took 15 wickets in the three-day game against Essequibo, had 2-26.
When Berbice began their reply, Bramble (17) added 27 with the 17-year-old Hooper before he lofted Balgobin to long-off. Manoj Pooranauth (15) and Hooper struggled to get the ball away before the former hit MClennon to point at 64-2.
The team’s most accomplished batsman – national youth player Seon Hetmyer – was run out for a duck when Hooper was caught ‘ball watching’ and stood his ground as both batsmen ended at the non-striker’s end, one run later.
Foo (10) was taken in the deep trying to free the shackles while Alex Amsterdam (25) was removed by Balgobin as Berbice slipped to 132-5 in the 35th over.
Tulsiram Premnauth got rid of Terrence Madramootoo (2) at 137-6 with three overs remaining, to silence the small but vocal home crowd, and had the fielding again not badly let them down, Essequibo could have easily emerged victorious.
When Sahadeo Somai (1) missed an impetuous swipe and was stumped off Henry with the score on 144-7, the home team still needed 15 runs from 14 balls and the riveting contest was on a knife’s edge.
However, a series of misfields and overthrows again exposed the Essequibians lack of mental fortitude when under pressure.
Hooper, who was dropped twice and hit his first boundary after batting for 38 overs, remained to the end.
Berbice face-off with Demerara tomorrow at DCC in the deciding final round, from 09:30hrs. Essequibo, who also missed pacer Ronsford Beaton due to an ankle injury yesterday, ended the competition with two defeats.
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