AFTER seeing dependable West Indies middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul fashion a patient century for the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Developmental XI, skipper Narsingh Deonarine responded with an unbeaten half-century to keep Berbice in control.

All this occurred during yesterday’s third day of their final round GCB Senior Inter-County four-day contest which was brought to an early close, 13 minutes before the schedule time due to bad light, with Berbice 136 for 4, for a lead of 188, after dismissing their opponents for 366, in reply to their first-innings 418.
The 40-year-old Chanderpaul, who resumed the day on 77, was the ninth batsman out, caught by Deonarine off Royston Crandon for 123, having faced 263 balls and batting for 390 minutes, during which time he struck 13 fours.
Kemol Savory chipped in with 40, while Steven Sankar scored a robust 37 at the depth of the Developmental XI innings, as their side who resumed the day on 234 for 6, scored 132 runs from 44.3 overs, before being bowled out.
Chanderpaul wasted little or no time in racing into the 90s, with two fours off Keon Joseph in the second over of the day, which saw Berbice take the second new ball after 92 overs, while the deft left-hander got a streaky four to third man off Raun Johnson.
Savory was the first man to go in the day, caught at short mid-off by Deonarine off Joseph, but his demise did not deter Chanderpaul who inched closer to another ton in his illustrious career, watching from the other end as Yatesh Dhanpaul cut loose with two fours off Johnson. duly
Duly, Chanderpaul got his 100 with his 10th four, pulled through vacant midwicket off Royston Crandon, having faced 225 balls while batting for 320 minutes and celebrated with another four through the same area off the final delivery of the over, much to the delight of the small but appreciative crowd.
Berbice had reasons to smile, when they removed both Dhanpaul, who holed out to Devon Clements at long on off Crandon and later Chanderpaul, seven minutes before the lunch interval. Those smiles, however, disappeared when Sankar opened his shoulders and struck the final two deliveries before the break from Deonarine for four.
After the break, Sankar hit Crandon for four and six, while Shiraz Ramcharran also swept Crandon for four, reducing their team’s deficit in the process, before Sankar was lbw to Deonarine for 37 (5×4, 1×6), leaving Ramcharran unbeaten on 15.
Johnson, Deonarine, Crandon, Joseph and Veerasammy Permaul all took two wickets each for 40, 41, 53, 66 and 88 runs respectively for Berbice, who despite a lead of 52, started their second innings disastrously when they lost Kandasammy Surujnarine (6) and Clements (0) to be 16 for 2.
Deonarine and Seon Hetmyer 41 (2×4, 1×6) fought back with an 81-run third-wicket partnership, with both batsmen hitting Ramcharran for six, while Deonarine also struck Steven Jacobs for two sixes and at tea Berbice were 68 for 2, with Deonarine on 32 and Hetmyer 26.
A sedate-looking Hetmyer was the first to go, lbw to Sankar after tea, while Foo joined the boundary-hitting act with a six over midwicket off Sankar, before Deonarine got to his 50 from 117 minutes of batting, during which time he faced 81 balls and struck three sixes and one four.
Jacobs reintroduced Kemo Paul into the attack and he responded by inducing Foo to edge one into the hands of the skipper at slip, at which time the umpires called off play due to bad light, with Deonarine on 55 and Berbice 136 for 4, for an overall lead of 188 heading into today’s final day.
At the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Demerara maintained their pole position and grasp on the championship cup, following their seven-wicket victory over Essequibo.
The Cinderella County lineup resumed the day on 98 for 6, after bowling out Demerara for 227 in reply to their first-innings 263, with Ricardo Adams on 67 and were bowled out for 145, with Adams going on to make 97 (158 balls, 11×4, 1×6).
Amir Khan took 5 for 31, Raj Nannan and Zaheer Mohammed 2 for 31 each for Demerara, who were asked to score 201 for victory and ended up on 185 for 3 off 47 overs, thanks to Rajendra Chandrika’s unbeaten 90 (11×4, 1×6) and 38 from Shemroy Barrington.
Christopher Barnwell 16* (3×4) and Vishal Singh 15 also contributed to the Demerara win, while the action between Berbice and the Developmental XI will continue at the Wales Community Centre ground this morning from 09:20hrs.