-Griffith’s century steers Demerara closer to victory

THANKS to two century partnerships and patient batting, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Developmental XI rebounded from their miserable batting display in the first innings to defeat Essequibo by seven wickets at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, in their first round GCB Inter-county four-day tournament, yesterday.Needing to score 268 to record a come from behind win, the Steven Jacobs led unit reached 271 for 4 off 75.1 overs, with a session and a day to spare, thanks to 85 from Shimron Hetmyer, 66 from Chandrapaul Hemraj and 51 from Jacobs,

while Ricardo Peters picked up 2 for 16.
Hetmyer and Chanderpaul started things with their 137 runs first wicket partnership before Hetmyer was dismissed, while Jacobs and Hemraj added 106 for the third wicket, a stand that pushed their team to within 13 runs of victory before Jacobs departed.
Resuming on their overnight score of 84 without loss in search of 268 for victory, with Hetmyer on 52 and Chanderpaul 27, the GCB Developmental XI saw the pair posted the 100, when Hetmyer drove first innings destroyer Anthony Adams exquisitely past extra cover in the fourth over of the day.
The duo carried the score to 137, before Hetmyer was unfortunate to be given out for 85 (121 balls, 147mins, 11×4), caught at forward short-leg by Mark Gonsalves off Adams, who switched ends with Royan Fredericks.
Hemraj joined Chanderpaul who was on 42 and responded by hitting Adams back over his head for six, prompting a ball change in slightly overcast conditions, but Hetmyer was followed 15 minutes later by Chanderpaul.
The 18 year old steered a delivery he was looking to leave alone at the last moment, into the waiting hands of Royan Fredericks at slip off Hemchand Persaud at 149 for 2, with his contribution being 44 scored off 138 balls and 162 minutes of batting, in which he struck three fours.
At lunch, the Developmental XI were 179 for 2 off 53 overs, with Hemraj who also struck Persaud for two sixes in one over on 25 and Jacobs 9, as they scored 95 runs in the session for the loss of their two openers, while victory was 69 runs away.
After the break, Hemraj hit Adams for hattrick of fours in two overs, while Jacobs got two fours in the 58th over that was bowled by Fredericks, posting his team’s 200 with the first from 57.1 overs and the 50 partnership between the two.
Essequibo granted Jacobs a life, when Mark Tyrell grassed a diving opportunity at long on off Adams, when the right hander was on 42 at 225 for 2, before Jacobs got his half century off 67 balls in which he struck six fours while batting for 76 minutes, pushing his team closer to victory in the process.
Dutifully, Hemraj followed Hetmyer and Jacobs by posting his 50 from 91 balls which he faced whilst batting for 96 minutes, during which time he struck three fours and the same number of sixes, before Jacobs was bowled sweeping at Peters for 55 (88mins, 70 balls 6×4).
That ended Jacobs’ 106 runs third wicket partnership with Hemraj, who followed next, out hit wicket to Peters for 66 (108 balls, 118 minutes, 4×4, 4×6) with victory four runs away, which was achieved by David Latchaya (03) and Kemo Paul (06, 1×4), as Peters ended with 2 for 16.
At the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Berbice resumed their first innings on 130 for 5 with Anthony Bramble on 38, in their quest to overhaul Demerara’s 442 for 6 declared, of which Rajendra Chandrika stroked 219 and Vishaul Singh 153.
However, despite Bramble going on to make 62 (138balls, 8×4) and Narsingh Deonarine 30 (59 balls, 3×4), with the pair adding 58 for the seventh wicket, Berbice folded for 218 off 72.1 overs. Paul Wintz (4 for 54), Zaheer Mohammed 2 for 29 and Christopher Barnwell 2 for 65, handed Demerara a mammoth 224 runs lead.
Demerara opted to bat a second time instead of enforcing the follow-on, and reached 107 for 3 at tea with Trevon Griffith on 54, after his side lost Robin Bacchus (03), Shemroy Barrington (01) and Barnwell for 36 (46 balls, 5×4).
Demerara lost Singh after the break, caught at the wicket by Bramble off Devon Clements for 17 at 154 for 4, following his 47 runs fourth wicket partnership with Griffith who moved into the 80s with two sweetly timed drives for four off Clements in his previous over.
Griffith posted his maiden ton at this level, when he drove Royston Crandon for his ninth four to finish unbeaten on 102, from 149 balls and 351 minutes batting, with nine fours. Demerara, then, declared their innings close at 186 for 5, setting Berbice 411 .
Deonarine led his team’s bowling with 3 for 43, while at the close of the penultimate day’s play, Berbice were 33 for 2, with Kandasammy Surujnarine (04) and Keon Joseph 08 their not out batsmen.
When play resumes at 09:30hrs today, Berbice will be looking to avoid being bowled out by their host, even as they look to accumulate the 378 more runs needed for victory on a track that is conducive for batting.

(By Calvin Roberts )