GCB 50-over U-19 Inter-County cricket…Demerara advance to tomorrow’s final with thrilling win over E’bo

May 17, 2014 Sports

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By Sean Devers
Demerara beat Essequibo by four wickets in their final preliminary round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 50-over under-19 Inter-County cricket match at Enmore yesterday in a thrilling finish to qualify for tomorrow’s final when they will oppose the President’s X1at Bourda.
A second successive half century from Skipper Kemo Paul, who followed up his unbeaten 53 against Berbice with a well crafted 62 spearheaded Essequibo to 233 off 49.4 overs.

Taignarine Chanderpaul (65) and man-of-the-match Brian Sattaur (81) put together 147 in one of the better constructed opening partnerships at this level. But once the openers departed Demerara just managed to reach 235-4 off 48.1 overs despite good bowling from off-spinner Akil Wallace (10-4-13-0) and Keanu Harry (3-57)
Demerara won the toss and invited Essequibo to bat on a slow track with dark angry clouds hovering ominously over the Enmore area. Avinash Persaud (14) was removed by pacer Keon Morris, back in the side after missing the last game due to time-off problems and the visitors were 36-1.
With just under an hour completed in the contest, a sharp shower sent the players scurrying off the field with Essequibo well placed on 64-1 from 11 overs. Demerara, who had lost both of their prior games, had to win with bonus points to qualify for tomorrow’s final.
When play resumed, Ricardo Peters and Shivendra Himraj picked the gaps nicely with aggressive stroke-play as Essequibo, who beat Berbice in the last round at the same venue after losing to the President’s X1 in the first round, continued to do well in the shorter version of the game, the only format played in Essequibo.
Peters looked good until he was taken at point off spinner Cleon McEwan for 44 from 48 balls with five fours to leave Essequibo on 76-2, ending an entertaining second wicket stand of 40 with Himraj who made 13 and was removed by leg spinner Steven Sankar at 84-3 while Parmesh Parsaton (3) was bowled by McEwan three runs later as the home team put the brakes on the scoring on the large ground.
Paul was joined by Harry and they consolidated the position with a confident 29-run fifth wicket partnership before Harry was run out for 10 at 116-5.
Akini Adams joined Paul and struggled to get the ball away, putting extra pressure on Paul who was starved of the strike. He was dropped on the mid-wicket boundary on 17 off Chanderpaul who bowled left-arm spin instead of right arm seam as he did in the three-day competition.
Adams wasted his luck and steered the next ball to slip, Essequibo slipping to 142-6 with Adams soaking up 33 balls in his sedate knock before the versatile Chanderpaul broke the partnership as the sun returned.
Travis Drakes (9) was caught at long on as he irresponsibly looked to hit Chanderpaul out of the ground against a very strong wind with 15 overs to go instead of trying to give the in-form Paul the strike.
When Ryan Adams arrived at the crease at 162-7 Essequibo were digging themselves into a deep hole. Just when a partnership was building, Paul who reached his fifty from 68 balls, ran himself out after facing 78 balls and hitting four fours to leave Essequibo on 202-8 with 38 balls left in the innings.
Adams with a crucial unbeaten 34 ensured the last two wickets added another 32 runs before Paul Williams (1) was run out with two balls left in the final over.

Chanderpaul (2-32) and McEwan (2-38) were the most successful bowlers for Demerara who began quietly which was a surprising ploy, especially by the usually explosive Brian Sattaur, who began by taking two boundaries off Drakes in the first over. Chanderpaul then elegantly whipped Paul to the mid wicket boundary in the next over.
But once spin was introduced the run rate dipped, Chanderpaul and Sattaur posting 50 in 13.5 overs. Chanderpaul was his usual level-headed self while the burly Sattaur displayed remarkable restraint and after 15 overs the score was 58 while 75 runs were scored from the first 20.
The run rate was never above what was required but with all 10 wickets in hand and the pugnacious Sattaur still there Essequibo knew if they could remove Sattaur their chances of victory would be greatly enhanced.
The openers saw the 100 up in 23.2 overs and the pair scored easier as their innings progressed in what was turning out to be an excellently calculated run chase. From 75-0 in 20 overs the pair changed gear and galloped to 125 in 26 as they scored at 10 per over off the next six overs.
But with the score on 147 a tired looking Sattaur threw his wicket away when he was caught in the deep off Harry when well set for the first ton in the competition. His 81 lasted 105 balls and included eight fours and six and his demise again opened the gate for Essequibo.
Chanderpaul soon followed at 164-2, stupendously caught at mid off by Mohendra Balbudar off Harry who removed Sherfane Rutherford (4) at 164-3. But Kemol Savory and Ramnarine Chaturia (36) added 57 in mounting pressure before Paul sent back Chaturia at 221-5.
Savory (29) and Sankar (5) then finished the job for Demerara with 11 balls to spare to hand Essequibo a heart-breaking loss.

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