By Rajiv Bisnauth

LED by spinners Matthew Nandu and Chanderpaul Ramraj, the Select Under-17 team defended 135 runs to beat an ill-fated Essequibo team by 39 runs in round two of the Hand-in-Hand Inter-county Under-19 limited-over encounter yesterday, at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.

Essequibo, chasing 136 for victory in a game which was reduced to 47 overs-a-side, were comfortably placed at 60-2, but a batting collapse which has now become customary, saw them lose nine wickets for just 36 runs. They were eventually bowled out for 96 in 30 overs.

Off-spinner Nandu was adjudged man-of-the-match. Left-arm spinner Ramraj used the conditions well, much to the delight of their skipper. He produced a disciplined effort to finish with figures of 5-20 and 3-16 respectively.

Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, three Select Under-17 batsmen reached double figures with Andre Seepersaud top-scoring with an unbeaten 38 off 58 balls, while Movendra Dindyal made 32 and Nandu 18.

While Essequibo’s opening bowlers were somewhat wayward upfront, off-spinners Amit Persaud and Mahesh Ramnarine bowled well in tandem, claiming three wickets apiece. Persaud ended with 3-27 while Ramnarine had 3-19 off nine overs.

Openers Zeynul Ramsammy and Nandu, whose first three scoring shots were all boundaries, added 24 runs for the first wicket before captain Ramsammy was trapped leg-before-wicket to Jerimiah Scott for a 23-ball five.

Dindyal joined Nandu to keep the Essequibians at bay before rain intervened after 15.3 overs of play. But during that period of play, they took the score to 61 with the help of some errant bowling, especially from pacers Elian Whyte and Romario Stephen, who contributed ten extras between them from their opening spells.

Upon resumption after 78 minutes had been lost, Dindyal smashed Persaud for a six but the Select Under-17s lost their way thereafter.

Nandu was the first to go, bowled by Persaud while Azizi Christiani, whose selection remains questionable, was also removed by Persaud without scoring.

The batting side then suffered the loss of four quick wickets, including Dindyal, who struck three fours and a six in his 65-ball knock. He was removed by Lance Roberts before Sarwan Chaitnarine became Persaud’s third victim.

Ramnarine then got into the act with the wicket of Romel Datterdin before Chetram Balgobin was run-out. However, Seepersaud stood firm at the other end despite the loss of Ramraj and Ajay Gainda. Dowlatram was the other not-out batsman on five.

Essequibo then suffered an early blow in the run-chase, losing the in-form Orlando Jailall, to Romel Datterdin for one, at 19-1.

However, Kevin Christian (22), and Scott (33), then joined forces for a second-wicket stand of 41 runs but Scott, after hitting two fours and a six, was dismissed. His dismissal triggered the collapse with only Roberts (14), the other batsman to reach double figures.