GCB/GTM Under-19 competition …
A MISERLY spell of leg-spin bowling by national Under-15 skipper Shawn Pereira, supported by an unbeaten half-century from skipper Harrinarine Chattergoon, placed Berbice in a commanding position over Demerara at the end of the second day of their rain-hit Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/GTM Under-19 Inter-county three-day match at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary yesterday. Winning the toss and asking their opponents to take first strike when play commenced 27 minutes after the scheduled lunch break, Berbice bowled out their opponents for a paltry 107 from 52.3 overs, thanks to Pereira’s 5-18 taken off 12.3 overs.
Chattergoon, who took 2-18 in support to Pereira, then blazed his way to an unbeaten 51 which was decorated with nine fours and one six and along with Dominic Rikhi’s unbeaten 25, steered Berbice to 86-1, in reply, and 22 runs away from first innings points when bad light stopped play at 17:40 h.
Poor shot selections, coupled with dubious umpiring decisions, were the downfall for Demerara, who defeated Essequibo by an innings inside two days in their first round clash. Berbice kept a tight rein on things with their fielders offering tremendous support to the bowlers.
Only 10 fours were struck in Demerara’s innings which took them 52.3 overs to compile as they faced an uphill battle against the all-spin attack that was in operation for the Ancient County team, who only allowed their fast bowlers, Keon Joseph and Raun Johnson, a combined total of nine overs.
Johnson got the breakthrough for  his team, when he had Clevon Hyman (4) caught by Sherwin McPherson at first slip, one of four catches for the Achievers Youth and Sports Club player in that position in Demerara’s innings.
Quincy Ovid-Richardson,  who top-scored with 26, responded by hitting both Joseph and Joemal La Fleur for boundaries as he added 37 for the second wicket with Shameer Fazal (19, 2×4), before the latter was run-out by a direct hit from Andrew Dennis who was stationed at wide mid off.
Fazal’s demise saw the fall of two quick wickets including Richardson who was lbw to Chattergoon and Arif Habib (0), who was unfortunate to be given out lbw, despite getting an inside edge onto his pad from Lloydel Lewis, leaving Demerara on 50-4.
Skipper Dexter Solomon (11, 1×4) joined Kwame Crosse (14) and they took the score to 73 before Solomon picked out Joseph at mid on off Pereira and he was quickly followed by Crosse who saw a thick outside edge from Pereira land safely in the hands of McPherson at slip.
A diving catch low to his right by Chattergoon got rid of Andre Stoll (8) off Pereira who watched as McPherson took his fourth catch at first slip to remove Amir Khan (4) off Chattergoon and even though Daryl Ross drove Pereira along the ground to long on for four, it was over when the bowler knocked back his leg stump two deliveries later, leaving Seon Daniels unbeaten on 10.
Mark Lionel (4) was the first to go in Berbice’s innings, caught by Solomon at the wicket off Ross who bowled with pace and aggression, but that was the lone success for the Demerara team, as Chattergoon and Rikhi added 77 for the second wicket when stumps were pulled.
Chattergoon was in an aggressive mood, hitting Daniels for back-to-back boundaries, while Stoll was struck for a four in one over and a six back over his head in another by Chattergoon, who posted his half-century from 53 deliveries and 72 minutes batting, hitting eight fours and one six.
Rikhi displayed a batting talent that would have belied many young batsmen at his age, with a crisp drive through extra cover off Surat for four and when the two Berbicians accepted the umpires’ offer for bad light at 17:40 h, their team were sitting comfortably on 86-1, needing a further 22 runs for first innings when play resumes at 09:30 h today.
Berbice made two changes to their team that was involved in a controversial draw with Essequibo, bringing in Lionel and Dennis for Rafael Estriado and Jamally Odle respectively while Demerara replaced Raj Nanan with Ross.