Hemraj hits unbeaten 61 on rain affected opening day

Jun 18, 2011 Sports

Watched by non-striker Jahron Byron, Chanderpaul Hemraj goes after spinner Vijay Surujpaul during his unbeaten 61 for Demerara against Essequibo at Providence yesterday (Sean Devers photo)

By Sean Devers at Providence

Chanderpaul Hemraj and Jahron Byron featured in an unfinished half-century partnership to put Demerara in a good position against Essequibo on the truncated opening day of their GTM under-19 three-day cricket contest at the Providence Stadium yesterday.
When bad light stopped play at 17:10hrs with 14 overs remaining in the day play, Demerara, asked to bat first, were 103-3 from 49 overs with the 17-year-old Hemraj on 61 and Byron who played the supporting role on 10.
The fourth wicket stand is already worth 56 runs after the pair joined forces at 47-3 when the left-handed Skipper Kwame Crosse inexplicable played no shot to off-spinner Vijay Surujpaul and was bowled between his legs for four.
Hemraj, who represented Guyana at the under-15 level in 2009, has so far struck six fours and a six and has faced 127 balls and batted for 175 minutes.
When play began in hazy sunshine 170 minutes late due to morning rain Steven Ramdass (1) drove loosely at a wide ball from pacer Kevin Fredericks and was taken at second slip to leave Demerara on 7-1.
Just before Tea, Christopher Surat (14) followed a ball he could have left alone and was well taken at slip by Ricardo Adams as medium pacer Mark Tyrell struck at 35-2.
By Tea, which was taken at 15:10hrs, Demerara were 37-2 but soon afterwards Crosse, a West Indies under-19 player, got himself into a tangle and was bowled to make way for Hemraj and Byron, who both got hundreds in an unfinished double century partnership for Georgetown against East Bank at the same venue last week, to consolidate the position.
Hemraj, who fended the first ball he faced from the lively Fredericks, grew in confidence as his innings increased as First-Class pacer Ronsford Beaton also bowled fast with the new ball.
The left-hander went back and smashed Surujpaul to the extra cover boundary before a delightful sweep in the next over off National under-19 left-arm spinner Anthony Adams attracted the attention of the handful of spectators which included former Guyana and West Indies under-19 Captain Steven Jacobs.
Hemraj clobbered Surujpaul for six to reach his fifty from 94 balls and 169 minutes and his entertaining innings also included six fours.
Hemraj and the dreadlocked Byron carried Demerara to 100 from 48 overs in fading light as conditions again became overcast and the game was prematurely halted due to bad light.
The action resumes on the second day today from 09:30hrs and Essequibo, who lost by 97 runs in their opening game against Berbice, will be hoping to take some early wickets.