THANKS to an authoritative half-century from skipper Christopher Barnwell, backed by a sedate knock from Rajendra Chandrika, defending champions Demerara overcame a robust and unbeaten innings from Devendra Bishoo to defeat Berbice by three wickets in

their second round Guyana Cricket Board/Pepsi Senior Inter-County encounter at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground yesterday.
Winning the toss and asking their opponents, from whom they wrestled the title last year, to take first strike, Demerara saw the Ancient County team rally back from 69 for 4 in the 14th over to score 250 for 8, thanks to Bishoo’s 63-ball 72 that was decorated with four fours and two sixes.
He got valuable support from national Under-19 fast bowler Romario Shepherd-DeJonge 38 (29 balls, 1×4, 1×6), Devon Clements 30 (65 balls, 2×4) and Anthony Bramble’s 26 (2×4, 1×6) while Demerara contributed 44 extras inclusive of 39 wides to their opponents’ total.
Barnwell led his team’s bowling with 4 for 59, while there was a wicket each for Trevon Griffith, Paul Wintz, Steven Jacobs and Kellon Carmichael, before their team replied with 252 for 7 from 49 overs, with Barnwell returning with the bat to contribute 72 (65 balls, 6×4, 5×6).
Chandrika weighed in heavily, opting to curb his aggressive attitude in the interest of the team who were struggling at 10 for 2 and later 49 for 3, to support Barnwell with 62 (103 balls, 3×4), while Derwin Christian’s unbeaten 28 (31 balls, 2×4) saw them home with an over to spare.
Bishoo returned with the ball to pick up 2 for 43 and got support from Keon Joseph who bowled with pace and aggression early in the Demerara innings on another slow track to pick up 2 for 45, after being the man responsible for their early rot, when he sent back Griffith (5) and Andrew Lyght Jr (4) in the first two overs.
Earlier in the day, Demerara, who left out Amir Khan, Shemroy Barrington and Andre Stoll and brought in Lyght, Carmichael and Shaquille Williams, saw Sewnarine Chattergoon (18, 2×4) and West Indies Under-19 selectee Shimron Hetmyer 12 (1×4, 1×6), post 39 for the first wicket.
In fact, Chattergoon started things by cutting Carmichael for four, while Hetmyer flicked Wintz over squareleg for 6, which was followed by a Carmichael free hit after a no-ball, being struck for four by Hetmyer who picked out Lyght at mid-off, off the final delivery of the sixth over.
Chattergoon reminded those at the venue, why he played four Test matches for the West Indies, when he cut Barnwell deftly through point for four, but pushed the next delivery straight to Chandrika at short extra cover – Berbice 49 for 2.
It became 56 for 3 and later 69 for 4, following the demise of Jonathan Foo who was lbw to Barnwell for 1 and Rajiv Ivan (3), who offered Robin Bacchus catching practice at cover from a Wintz delivery, before Clements and Bramble repaired the damage with their 46-run fifth-wicket partnership.
Clements drove Carmichael for four, while he also got another boundary off Jacobs, even as Bramble hit Williams, who started with a maiden, for four, followed by a four and a six off Jacobs, to raise Berbice’s 100 in the 24th over.
After seeing Bramble given a life by Jacobs off his own bowling in the 27th over when on 22 and Berbice 112 for 4, Barnwell called on the part-time spin of Griffith to break the partnership and he did so immediately, when Clements picked out Lyght at long on.
Enter Bishoo, who saw the back of both Bramble and Eon Hooper (1), before Shepherd-DeJonge decided to stick around and add 63 for the eighth wicket with the national leg-spinner, who, after a sedate start, opened his shoulders and went over the top.
Bishoo realised his half-century with a reverse sweep for his fourth four off Barnwell and celebrated with a top-edged six from an attempted reverse sweep off the next delivery. He struck another six off the third ball of the final over bowled by Jacobs, after losing Shepherd-DeJonge, who offered Lyght his third catch at long on, this time off Jacobs.
Demerara got a disastrous start, even though Griffith fended the first delivery from Joseph for four, as they lost the pugnacious left-hander who was caught by a diving Hetmyer at backward square, off the final delivery of the first over.
Lyght was gaining confidence, when he lost his off-stump to Joseph, while Bacchus was sent back to the cool comforts of the pavilion by Bishoo, who watched as Ivan took the top edge from his sweep shot, at backward square.
Enter Barnwell to join Chandrika, who had earlier driven Shepherd-DeJonge back along the ground with authority and together they added 117 for the fourth wicket, with Barnwell starting slowly before opening his shoulders.
Bishoo was pulled for four while Ivan was welcomed into the attack with a big six into Regent Street, which was followed by a four to the vacant third-man position in the following over from the bowler, with Chandrika raising his team’s 100 in the 23rd over, with a four struck back past Joseph.
Joseph was also tickled for four by Barnwell, who later pulled Hooper for two sixes off successive deliveries, achieving his half-century with the second shot, using 50 deliveries and counting five fours and three sixes in the process.
He later pulled Bishoo, who had replaced Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai at the Regent Street End for his fourth six, before being given a life by Joseph at long-off, off Hooper, with the ball being pushed for six by the fielder.
However, the life was not costly to the Berbicians, as Foo held onto his next offer at deep cover off Hooper, but not before Chandrika had reached his half-century from 91 balls, with two fours – a strong testament of the supporting role he was playing to Barnwell.
Barnwell was followed by Chandrika and later Jacobs (16) and Mohammed-Shadir 18 (1×4, 1×6), but Christian held his nerves with Williams to steer Demerara home, with Williams square-driving Joseph for two of his three fours, the other coming off Bishoo in his unbeaten 14.
The action continues at the same venue tomorrow, where both Berbice and Essequibo, who also lost their first round match to Demerara, will be looking for a win, with the winner taking on Demerara in the final at the Albion Community Centre ground on Sunday.

SCORECARD

BERBICE innings
S. Chattergoon c Chandrika b Barnwell 18
S. Hetmyer c Lyght b Carmichael 12
D. Clements c Lyght b Griffith 30
J. Foo lbw b Barnwell 1
R. Ivan c Bacchus b Wintz 3
A. Bramble c Carmichael b Barnwell 26
D. Bishoo not out 72
E. Hooper c Chandrika b Barnwell 1
R. Shepherd-DeJonge c Lyght b Jacobs 38
G. Motie-Kanhai not out 5
Extras: (w-39, nb-4, lb-1,) 44
Total: (for 9 wickets, off 50 overs) 250
Did not bat: K. Joseph
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-49, 3-56, 4-69, 5-115, 6-137, 7-159, 8-250.
Bowling: Wintz 7-1-36-1 (w-6), Carmichael 10-0-62-1 (w-4, nb-4), Barnwell 10-0-59-4(w9), Williams 6-1-16-0, Jacobs 9-1-46-2 (w-2), Griffith3-0-10-1.

DEMERARA innings
T. Griffith c Hetmyer b Joseph 5
A. Lyght b Joseph 4
R. Chandrika stp. wkp. Bramble b Bishoo 62
R. Bacchus c Ivan b Bishoo 16
C. Barnwell c Foo b Hooper 72
S. Jacobs c La Fleur (sub.) b Motie-Kanhai 16
D. Christian not out 26
Z. Mohammed-Shadir c Motie-Kanhai b Clements 18
S. Williams not out 14
Extras: (w-10, nb-3, b-4, lb-2) 19
Total: (for 7 wickets, off 49 overs) 252
Did not bat: P. Wintz & K. Carmichael
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-10, 3-49, 4-166, 5-188, 6-199, 7- 232.
Bowling: Joseph 9-1-45-2 (nb-1, w-1), Hooper 10-0-41-1, Shepherd-DeJonge 3-0-24-0 (w-1, nb-1), Bishoo 10-0-43-2(nb-2, w-1), Motie-Kanhai 10-0-49-1 (w-2), Ivan 2-0-17-0, Clements 5-0-27-1.