HAVING seen left-arm spinner Keanu Harry restrict the powerful Demerara batting lineup on the opening day with his seven-wicket haul, Essequibo batsmen fought back gallantly at the end of the second day of their Guyana Cricket Board/Raj Singh Insurance Under-19 Inter-county three-day fixture yesterday.Playing at the Everest Cricket Club ground where they resumed the day on 1 without loss in reply to Demerara’s 261, Essequibo posted 226 before being bowled out in the dying stages of the penultimate day yesterday, thanks to Parmesh Parsotam 59 and 46 from Sachin Persaud.

Medium pacer Shurfane Rutherford bowled with pace and good rhythm to end with 3 for 45, backed by Malcolm Hubbard and Akshaya Persaud who took 2 wickets each for 13 and 48 runs respectively for Demerara, who were handed a five-run penalty following a fielding infringement by Rutherford.
At the Wales Community Centre ground, Berbice defeated the National Under-17 by 10 wickets in a one-sided affair, to earn a well-deserved rest day on today’s final day.
At Camp Road, Essequibo began the day with both Satesh Latchana and Nathan Persaud yet to score and saw them post 19 on the board before Latchana was run-out by Vivian Albert, whose return to wicketkeeper Tevin Imloch found Latchana short in his attempt to steal a cheeky single to point.
Parsotam and Nathan Persaud added 59 for the second wicket, with Parsotam hitting Rutherford for three fours in two overs, followed by two more fours in one over, before rain stopped play for 10 minutes at 66 for 1, with Parsotam on 25 and Nathan Persaud 26.
A well-judged catch by Imloch low down to his left, off Rutherford, accounted for Nathan Persaud 31 (90 balls, 2×4) when play resumed after the first of two rain breaks, with Essequibo 71 for 2 and Parsotam unbeaten on 25. Lunch was taken with Essequibo 72 for 2 -. Parsotam 25 and David Williams 1.
Growing in confidence with every delivery that he faced, Parsotam who represented Guyana at the Under-17 level two years ago posted his 50 from 88 balls and 113 minutes of batting with nine fours, following back-to-back fours off Demerara skipper Travis Persaud after the luncheon break.
Both Parsotam and Williams were dismissed at 117 for 4, with Parsotam going to Travis Persaud’s catch at slip off Akshaya Persaud, who returned the favour in the same position to account for Williams (10) off a Vivian Albert delivery in the following over.
Parsotam faced 105 balls during his 134-minute sojourn at the wicket, hitting 10 fours. At their demise, Demerara must have felt they would wrap up Essequibo’s batting lineup quickly.
But Sachin Persaud, who swivelled and pulled Akshaya Persaud for six over midwicket, followed it up with two exquisite drives with authority for four through extra cover off his namesake Travis Persaud, drawing a round of applause from his teammates and former West Indies batsman Alvin Kallicharran.
In partnership with his skipper Travis Drakes, the score was pushed to 143 for 4 before rain stopped play at 14:04hrs and when the contest resumed, Hubbard and his skipper Travis Persaud bowled eight consecutive maiden overs, accounting for Drakes who was caught by Travis Persaud at mid-off, when he looked to hit Hubbard over the top at 161 for 5.
That became 207 for 9, with the dismissals of Harry (2), Sachin Persaud 46 (141 mins, 126 balls, 3×4; 1×6), Looknauth Chinkoo (0) and Akini Adams 17 (3×4), as Rutherford and Basdeo engaged in a disciplined bowling spell with the second new ball, before Leyland Cadogan 13 (3×4) and Jewmal Hartman 6* added 19 for the final wicket
When the action continues today, Demerara who has a lead of 35 runs will start their second innings looking for quick runs, with the aim of securing an outright win.
At Wales, Berbice resumed the day on 136 for 6, a lead of 42 with four wickets in hand after bowling out the National Under-17s for 94.
Thanks to the batting of Kassim Khan who struck seven fours and one six in his unbeaten 59, 51 that included eight fours and two sixes from Parmanand Ramdan and 33 (4×4, 1×6) by Leon Andrews, the team from the Ancient County posted 214 all out, for a lead of 120.
Richie Looknauth and Timothy McAlmont took 3 wickets each for 33 and 42 runs for the National Under-17, who in their second innings were bowled out for 121 off 75 overs, led by 42 (3×4) from Adrian Sukhwah, 30 (5×4) from Ronaldo Mohamed and 13 from Joshua Persaud.
Kahn (4 for 35), skipper Balchand Baldeo (3 for 18) and Ramdan 2 for 23 did the damage with the ball for Berbice, who were asked to score 2 for victory and saw Andrews hit the first ball from Mohammed for 4 to seal off the win.

By Calvin Roberts