Perez, bowlers give Demerara comfortable win

… Select U-17 through to final despite losing to Berbice by 70 runs

ESSEQUIBO were humbled by 214 runs by Demerara in the final preliminary round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited-sponsored Under-19 Inter-County One-day tournament yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium.
The margin of victory was first reinforced by Raymond Perez’s sparkling century before the bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Keshram Seybodan, applied substantial pressure in a difficult run chase.
Set a daunting target after Demerara rattle up a formidable 300 all out in 49.3 overs, Essequibo were unable to mount a decent run chase as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals to eventually be bundled out for 86 in 24.4 overs.
Seybodan finished with 5-21, to be the most destructive bowler, after medium pacers Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed, (2-16), and as Dambuka Nqgando, (1-28), made early inroads. Off-spinner Richie Looknauth chipped in with 2-13 at the back end of the run chase.
Earlier, Perez led the hosts’ batting effort with an entertaining 125 off just 131 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes.
Perez received admirable support from Ramnarine Chetura, who contributed a glittering 73, as the pair were untroubled for 32 overs by the visitors attack to put up a second-wicket partnership of 177 to lay a solid platform for the hosts.
The Essequibo bowling lacked penetration, and with a defensive mindset they allowed the duo to cash in superbly. Perez, in particular, paced his innings to perfection, first getting set during the initial stage before exploding.
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Demerara had a shift in the batting order. Perez opened the innings with Garvin Boodwah after regular opener Bhaskar Yadram decided to drop himself down the order to allow his other teammates an opportunity to bat.
The pair gave the hosts a bustling start, adding 43 in eight overs before left-arm spinner Joel Fortune (3-47.) bowled Boodwah for 14.
Chetura joined Perez, and the duo displayed sublime form, matching each other stroke for stroke for most part of the partnership.
The right-handed pair was never really made to work hard for their runs as the drives, pulls and shots square of the wicket were all played with generous abundance.
They brought up the 100-landmark in 16.5 overs before Perez reached his fifty off 68 balls, while Chetura got to his in 58 balls.
The visitors were not able to restrict the scoring rate as the duo continued to showed great temperament. The 200-run mark came up in 36.4 overs before Perez went on to reach three figures in 119 balls.
However, a mix-up saw Chetura run-out, at 220-3. Chetura innings spanned 82 balls, with five fours and two sixes. His dismissal triggered a collapse as Demerara lost their last eight wickets for 80 runs.
Joshua Jones (4-65), claimed the wickets of Ronaldo Ali Mohamed (2), Perez, Yadram (8) and Joshua Persaud (11). Fortune removed Richi Looknauth (4) and Stephon Wilson (7) while Lesley Allen (1-36) had the wicket of Keshram Seybodan (14). Sagar Hatheramani was the other batsman dismissed, run-out for 10.
Except for Kurt Lovell (27), the rest of the visitors’ top order could not blaze away, as Nqgando provided the first breakthrough when he had Mark Williams caught at the wicket for two, at 8-1.
It soon became 47-5 when Ali-Mohamed removed Sachin Singh (0), and Stephan Campbell (9) while left-arm spinner Seybodan claimed the wickets of Mehandra Persaud (8), and Quentin Sampson (0), in the space of three balls in the 12th over.
Four overs later Seybodan had Lovell and Joshua Jones (0), off consecutive balls before Looknauth claimed the wicket of Fortune for ten.
Seybodan removed Beesham Moses (1) to complete his five-wicket haul before Looknauth wrapped up the innings.
In the other final round game, played at the Everest Cricket Club ground; Berbice whipped the Select Under-17 team by 70 runs.
Batting first, Berbice were restricted to 155-9, with Junior Sinclair hitting an even 50. Sylius Tyndall (25), Adrian Sukwah (20) and Junior Sinclair (16) were the other batsmen to manage double figures.
Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd was the pick of the Select Under-17 bowlers, with four wickets.
In reply the Select Under-17 team were bowled out for 85 in 40.5 overs. Bowling for Berbice Deon Sinclair claimed 3-18, Karan Arjpaul grabbed 3-9, Kevin Sinclair 2-12. Javid Karim and Keith Simpson took one wicket each.
Meanwhile, Demerara, with two wins will meet the Select Under-17 in today’s final. Both Berbice and the Select Under-17 acquired one win each but the Select Under-17 secured .5 points more than Berbice. They ended on 10.7 points against Berbice on 10.2 points.
The game is billed for the Guyana National Stadium from 09:00hrs.