Demerara claim title following Renee’s 99

Apr 24, 2016 Sports

By Zaheer Mohamed
Opener Ronaldo Renee produced a scintillating knock as Demerara captured the Guyana Cricket Board/Hand-in-Hand three-day Inter County U19 title which concluded yesterday.

Man-of-the-match Ronaldo Renee collects his prize from Hand-in-Hand representative Mikhail Da Silva in the presence of match referee Grantley Culbard.

Renee survived some nervous moments against pacer Keemo Paul early on, but blossomed nicely to propel Demerara to 240 all out in reply to Essequibo first innings score of 197 at Bourda. The right hander fell one run short of a century, but his efforts were enough to hand Demerara the title; Essequibo took the runner up spot.
Demerara began the third and final day on 16 without loss with Renee and Raymond Perez on seven each. The pair batted cautiously as they took the score to 73 before Perez who hit three fours was lbw to Akenie Adams for 23. While Renee continued to time the ball well, serenely gathering his runs, Essequibo picked up the wickets of Sherfene Rutherford (15), Romain Muniram (03), Travis Persaud (18), Gavin Boodwah (03) and Malcolm Hubbard (04) with some tidy bowling led by Adams and Chinkoo to keep them in hunt for first innings.
But Renee and Ronaldo Mohamed consolidated to give the home team the lead with level-headed batting. The pair added 42 vital runs for the seventh-wicket before Renee was removed by Adams after batting for 197 minutes, hitting seven fours and one six off 207 balls. Mohamed was then caught off Chinkoo for 35 (3×4,1×6), while Ramnarine Chatura went for 10 and Keshram Seyhodan for one as Demerara were bowled out in the final session. Adams finished with 6-81 and Chinkoo 3-43.
Trailing by 43, Essequibo openers Mark Williams and Nathan Persaud wiped off the deficit easily as their team finished on 66-1. Both batsmen batted well, with Williams smashing four fours and one six before he was stumped off Darshan Persaud for 42. Persaud was not out on 19.
Final points standing: Demerara 26.05, Essequibo 20.08, U-17 12.08 and Berbice 8.09.