4R Lion’s Deonarain (218) and Gafoor (170) share in 366 stand

Apr 21, 2022 Sports

By Sean Devers

Led by a commanding 366 second wicket stand between Romario Deonarain, whose magnificent 218 lasted 154 balls and was decorated with 39 boundaries which included a single six and Rashad Gafoor who made 170 from 104 balls with 18 fours and 10 sixes,4R Lions destroyed GINC by 495-runs yesterday at the DCC ground.

Romeo Deonarian pulls for four in his 218 at DCC yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)

This was in the lone match yesterday in the GCA’s Ramchand Auto Spares, Survival Group of Companies and Trophy Stall 50-over U-19 cricket tournament.
In a game in which several records were set on the small and well-manicured Queenstown venue, 4R Lions, a team comprising of Berbicans, Essequibians and Demerarians put together by Businessman Ricky Deonarain the owner of 4R Bearings, made a record 526-8 in 50 overs and skittled out GNIC for 31, the lowest total in a GCA U-19 competition.
GNIC were bowled out in 12 overs with nine batters failing to score as only Darious Singh (10) and Solomon Cameron (5) got off the mark as 16 extras top scored on a flat track in hot conditions.
Sanjay Algoo had 5-17 and Nation Gill (4-7) ensuring that GNIC’s previous lowest score against GCC at Bourda was even lower for the hapless GINC team which included some East Bank players whose only hardball game in their life was in the previous round.

Rashad works one off his legs in his 170 yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)

Earlier in morning it was a massacre at DCC as boundaries rained fast and furious on the small ground.
After Rampertab Ramnauth (22) was trapped LBW to Zahid Mohamed in the fifth over at 41-1 the Deonarain and Gafoor show began to the delight of the small but vocal gathering.
The pair, who put together 302, three years ago in a Berbice U-15 game for Blairmont over Bush Lot, capitalised on sloppy fielding and catching and a basic knowledge of field setting which should be known at the U-13 level as the runs flowed like an avalanche against the innocuous bowling attack.
The right-handed Gafoor, deposited Darious Singh for five sixes in one over, while the left-handed Deonarain favoured the cuts and pulls as the partnership flourished before Gafoor, from Cotton tree in West Berbice, was removed by Roupie Rajaram at 407-2 in the 42nd over, to break the partnership.
The demise of Gafoor, who bettered the 166 made by Jonathon Vanlange for GCC against Queen’s College, halted the runs flow with only Ronaldo Scouten who blasted an explosive 13-ball 41 with eight fours and six, of the other batters reached 15 before Deonarain was last out at 520-7 for the only double century in GCA’s U-19 cricket.
The competition continues today with matches at DCC and MYO grounds.