Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
Hand-in-Hand 50-over Inter-County U-19 cricket…Demerara crush Berbice to claim double title
Champions! Double Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-County Champions Demerara show off their hardware.
By Sean Devers
Man-of-the-Match Ershad Ali bagged 4-10 to spearhead Demerara to a predictable 68-run win over Berbice in a low scoring final of the Hand-in-Hand under-19 Inter-County 50-over cricket at Providence yesterday.
Travis Persaud, the most successful Demerara Captain at youth level in the last few years, hit a six and four in a carefully constructed 29 from 56 balls and got support from Ali (19) as the host struggled to 154 all out in 47.2 overs.
Deon Sinclair took 4-30, along with Asif Ally (2-14) and Joel Seitram (2-22) were the most successful bowlers for Berbice who were shot out 86 in 35 overs despite a cameo 38-ball 30 from Tucber Park left-hander Seitram and a courageous 51-ball 12 from Hardial whose running was impeded by a badly swollen right leg sustained while fielding in yesterday’s upset victory over Essequibo.
Ali was the architect of destruction with his penetrative and frugal spell of spin bowling. Off-Spinner Richie Looknauth, who continues to operate with a suspect action, took 3-22.
Demerara won the toss and batted on a gorgeously sunny day under clear blue skies but despite the presence of a few hundred people attending a Jubilee Event on the tarmac of the Stadium, the game was played before empty stands expect for the VIP stand in which a few of the player’s relatives and GCB’s officials were sitting.
The batsmen again struggled to score with any fluency on an outfield which was a lot faster than the previous day due to the sweltering heat.
Shot selection was again a problem as Persaud, Ali, Sherfane Rutherford (13) and Looknauth (10*) all got into double figures without progressing to substantial scores on a track which made ‘playing through the line’ difficult but was in no way treacherous.
The biggest partnership for the home side was 32 between Persaud and Renaldo Mohamed-Ali (7) which demonstrated the lack of a proper temperament of most of the batters.
Berbice needed to score at just over three runs per over for what would have been an upset win, but the odds of them overhauling the small target were stacked heavily against them since this team was arguable the weakest youth team from the Ancient County since the 1980s.
Hardial, who made a patient 56 in their surprise win on Saturday, again show a solid technique but was unable to turn ones into two due his injury and this put pressure on Seitram who was unable to find the boundaries.
The pair batted resolutely and was not even distracted by a helicopter taking passengers for aerial viewing of the City or the activities on the Stadium tarmac. They took the score from 37-4 to 67 with a fighting 25-run stand before the right-handed Hardial was trapped LBW by Ali in the 23rd over.
Batting intelligently with the lower order and ‘palmed’ the strike. The left-hander from New Amsterdam’s only First Division club played some confident drives before he tried hit Looknauth out of the ground and was taken on the boundary at 86-7. Looknauth wrapped up the innings without addition to the score.
Secretary of the GCB Anand Sanasie commended Hand-in-Hand Insurance for pumping $6Million into the tournament and announced that Berbice Coach for the last games Adrian Amsterdam was re-appointed as National under-19.
“He will benefit from the two state of the art bowling machines we bought as preparations for the National U-19 squad starts,” Sanasie said.
Hand-in-Hand’s representative Sanita Singh said her Company, which was formed in 1865, was pleased with the way the competition was run, adding that it has always been the mandate to contribute towards sports development.
Persaud led Demerara to the under-19 three-day title last year and yesterday’s win followed as a successful defenc of that title earlier this year.
Persaud, who also led Demerara to U-17 Inter-County titles for the last two years, praised his team for ‘winning everything’ this year and added that he is now looking forward to this year’s Regional U-19 competition.
Renaldo Renee (most runs), Akenie Adams (most wickets), Nathan Persaud (most promising Keeper), Kemo Paul (MVP) were on the outstanding list.
The selectors (Nazimul Drepaul, Atto Christiani and Julian Moore) selected the squad yesterday afternoon but it was not released.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Let us not be silent witnesses!
…Peeping Tom kaieteur News- Ray Daggers walked from Corriverton to Charity. It was a journey so epic it might have... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
