Latest update January 10th, 2025 5:00 AM
Latest News
- Jagdeo-led PPP supported tax waivers to Exxon without seeing terms of oil contract
- President stomps Nandlall’s plan to appeal $24M awarded to Quindon Bacchus’ family
- More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, officials say
- Benn flags citizens lax approach to fire safety
- Chinese man missing after falling off new harbour bridge
GCB Inter-County U-19 Baldeo’s unbeaten 65 helps B’ce to first innings points
By Sean Devers
A cultured unbeaten 65 from Balchand Baldeo and a four-wicket haul from off-spinner Sharaz Ramcharran spearheaded Berbice to first innings points against Essequibo on day one of their final round Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) three-day under-19 cricket encounter yesterday at the Everest ground on Camp Road.
Akil Wallace is bowled by Sharaz Ramcharran who took 4-25 for B’ce at Everest yesterday.
Skipper Ramcharran looked the best off-spinner in the tournament and finished with 4-25 from 15 overs and got support from pacer Grisean Grant (3-27) to help dismiss Essequibo, who batted with one player short, for 122-9 innings closed, 44 minutes after lunch.
Baldeo then fashioned a compact undefeated 65 from 132 balls which included three fours and shared in a 51-run opening stand with Viendra Gooniah (17) to see Berbice to 168-5 by the close.
Play began in slightly overcast conditions on a straw coloured pitch and with a strong Atlantic breeze blowing across the ground, Grant struck early in the bout when he removed Ricardo Peters for a duck with just four runs on the board.
A small but vocal crowd watched as Grant got rid of Shivendra Himraj (1). Grant then bowled second round centurion and Essequibo Captain Kemo Paul (4) to leave Essequibo, who registered a confidence boosting victory over the President’s X1 at DCC in their last match, wobbling on 18-3.
With their premier batsman out of the way and the strange decision to declare, Kenu Harry in their starting XI even though he had to write exams and missed the entire Essequibo innings, it came as little surprise when their batting faltered in an all too familiar fashion.
Poor shot selection contributed to their batting woes as the batsmen again played in t20 mode with only Avinash Persaud, who hit six fours and a six in his 43-ball 37 and Mohendra Balbadar whose cameo 40 came from 111 balls and was decorated with six boundaries, reaching 12 as Ramcharran bowled with excellent control and impressive flight on the large ground.
Ramcharran had Persaud at 57-4 before he bowled Akil Wallace (12) who was completely deceived by the flight and also got rid of Ryan Adam (6) to leave Essequibo on 78-6.
From a lunch time score of 88-6 after 14 minutes were lost due to a sharp shower in the opening session, the lads from Guyana’s largest County lost Travis Drakes (11) to the wily Ramcharran at 95-7 before Paul Simbo (1) edged a catch to the Keeper off Viendra Gooniah to leave the score on 108-8.
The Essequibo camp must have hoped that Balbadar would have received prolonged support from Akini Adams, giving Harry enough time to arrive, but that was not to be as Gooniah, who took 2-24, disturbed the stumps of Balbadar to leave Adams not out on seven.
When Berbice began their reply, Gooniah was caught at third slip off a Paul no-ball on five with the score on 20 without loss much to the dismay of the pacer who had also bowled Demerara’s Brian Sattaur with a no-ball.
The openers put their team in a good position with a 52-run partnership before Gooniah was run out for 17.
First-Class left-hander Shemron Hetmyer fresh off a century against the President’s X1 in the first round, played with refreshing maturity and stroked almost every ball he faced along the ground, with an exhilarating extra cover-drive off Wallace, reaching the boundary like a bullet.
However, when well set on 20 the pugnacious batsman, who had seen his team to 68-1 by Tea, was run out at 74-2 when involved in a mix-up with Baldeo.
Ashkay Homraj (18) seemed very unfortunate to be adjudged LBW to left-arm spinner Akini Adams when he advanced down the track to leave the score on 108-3.
It was soon 111-4 when Ramcharran was caught behind off Paul Simbo and while Adams bowled with good variety and proved to be Essequibo’s best bowler yesterday, off-spinner Wallace, with a 10-wicket match haul to his name in the last round, struggled for wickets on the much larger ground and strangely opted to operate from round the wicket in a defensive spell.
He however had David Latchaya (17), arguable Essequibo’s most complete batsman, taken at slip by Paul just before the close with the score on 151-5, leaving the bulk of the batting today on the shoulders of Baldeo whose half-century was posted from 105 balls with his second boundary.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The unconscionable terms of the PSA establish a case for renegotiation
The unconscionable terms, The unconscionable terms Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA)... more
Forget Begging Rich Nations: Caribbean Countries Should Act to Save Themselves
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- It has long been evident that the world’s richest nations, especially those responsible... more
Weekend Cartoon
