Paul and Sankar offer resistance as Development X1 suffer innings defeat

TALENTED 17-year-old all-rounder Kemo Paul and his national Under-19 teammate Steven Sankar yesterday foiled Demerara’s attempt to mop up the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Developmental XI early, in their second round GCB senior Inter-county four-day matchup at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

Resuming the day on 38 for 5, after starting their second innings in search of 185 to make their opponents bat again, the Developmental XI offered resistance right up to 10 minutes in the extra half-hour taken by Demerara, before they folded at 11:40hrs for 169, to lose by an innings and 16 runs, with Paul hitting 73 and Sankar an unbeaten 33.
Scores: Developmental XI 154 and 169; Demerara 338.
Paul, who resumed the day on 8, shelved his ultra defensive mode that he displayed the previous day, by hitting Raj Nannan for three fours in the second over of the day’s play, pushing his side to 55 for 5 before he lost his overnight partner Kemol Savory (9, 2×4) and Yatesh Dhanpaul (1) in quick succession.
Kellon Carmichael joined Paul who was on 23 at Dhanpaul’s demise with their team 56 for 7 and mixing a solid defence with aggression added 45 for the eighth wicket, as the duo took the attack to the Demerara bowlers.
The 26-year-old Carmichael who had a boundary-studded 20 (5×4), opened his account with a four off Paul Wintz and followed it up with another off the same bowler in his following over, before he hit Demerara’s first-innings centurion and national leg-spinner Amir Khan for a hat-trick of fours in the 29th over.
In-between his exploits, Paul also got a six off Khan over midwicket, before Carmichael holed out to Wintz at long off, in his attempt to hit Khan for his fourth successive four – a shot that was not expected from a player who recently returned from England where he played as a semi-professional.
Enter Sankar to the fray, with which came Paul’s aggressive attitude and he (Paul ) took the attack to the bowlers, hitting Khan for his second six to post his 50 from 70 balls with six fours and two sixes while batting for 110 minutes, following which he hit Khan for another four to wide long on.
With Sankar being content to play the supporting role, Paul took the attack to the Demerara bowlers, walking down the wicket to Wintz and hitting him through mid-off with ease for his ninth four, followed by another through extra cover.
At the other end, Sankar joined the party with a four of his own, off Wintz, before Zaheer Mohammed induced Paul to hole out to Khan at long on for 73 which took him 88 balls to accumulate as he batted for 185 minutes while hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
After Paul’s dismissal, Sankar shelved his defensive attitude and went into overdrive with three fours in two overs off Wintz, before Khan closed off the innings by trapping Niall Smith lbw for 2 at 11:40hrs, leaving Sankar unbeaten at the other end on 33 (57 balls, 4×4).
Despite going for a flurry of runs as the Developmental XI’s last five wickets added 131 from the 29.4 overs sent down by Demerara, Paul ended with 4 for 69, Khan 2 for 33 while there was a wicket each for Mohammed, Nannan, Christopher Barnwell and Gavin Moriah, who was only used for three overs.
Following today’s rest day and two more tomorrow and Monday, the third and final round will commence on Tuesday with Demerara facing Essequibo at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground while Berbice and GCB Developmental XI will do battle at Wales.

(By Calvin Roberts)