GCB/RAJ SINGH INSURANCE U-19 Hetmyer ton tightens Berbice grip after Rutherford claims 5 … Demerara wobbling at 71 for 8
Well played, Hetty! Berbice skipper Shimron Hetmyer acknowledges the applause of his teammates, after registering the first ton in this year’s tournament. Looking on from left are Jaydev Mana (blue cap), Balchand Baldeo and wicketkeeper Tevin Imloch.
Well played, Hetty! Berbice skipper Shimron Hetmyer acknowledges the applause of his teammates, after registering the first ton in this year’s tournament. Looking on from left are Jaydev Mana (blue cap), Balchand Baldeo and wicketkeeper Tevin Imloch.

SKIPPER SHIMRON Hetmyer struck the first century in this year’s Guyana Cricket Board/Raj Singh Insurance Under-19 Inter-county tournament and Balchand Baldeo got a half-century, despite Shurfane Rutherford’s five-wicket haul, as Berbice tightened their grip on the contest at the end of the penultimate day yesterday.Playing against Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Berbice bowled out their hosts for 152, after they resumed the day on 144 for 7 and with a lead of 47, scored 250 in their second innings, on the back of Hetmyer’s 114, 66 from Baldeo and a quick-fire 48 from Parmanand Ramdhan.

This was after they were both forced to survive another testing spell from Rutherford, who picked up his maiden five-wicket haul at this level to end with 5 for 68, with support from Tariq Dharamlall who took 2 for 22, as the home team paid for several missed chances in the field.
Set 298 to record a come-from-behind win, Demerara were rocked by fast bowler Grisean Grant (3 for 23) and Baldeo (2 for 20) to be 33 for 5 before they finished on 71 for 8, with Rutherford unbeaten on 4 and Daniel Basdeo 0.
At the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, local perennial whipping boys Essequibo bowled out the National Under-17 who started the day on 34 for 1, for 147 in reply to their 261. The Essequibians in their second innings were bowled out for 140, setting their opponents a target of 256, for which they reached 17 for 2 at the close.
At GCC, Demerara resumed their first innings yesterday and Berbice took 20 minutes to dismiss their opponents’ remaining three batsmen, using 5.4 overs to complete the job as they were bowled out for 152 off 52.4 overs.
Carlton Jacques (2), Basdeo 29 (3×4) and Mana (0) were the batsmen dismissed, as Leon Andrews led their bowling with 3 for 3 and received support from Baldeo (3 for 38) and Daniel Lewis 2 for 35.
With a lead of 49, Berbice lost Andrews (2) who was caught by Travis Persaud off Rutherford in the second over of their innings, but regrouped to reach 92 for 1 off 16 overs at lunch, with Hetmyer on 48 and Baldeo 40.
Hetmyer stamped his authority on the bowling with four fours in two overs off Rutherford, while Baldeo, who was given a life by Dharamlall at mid-off, off the bowling of Basdeo when on 22, hit the same bowler for two fours and one six in the same over.
When Rutherford was replaced by Akshaya Persaud, Hetmyer raced into the 40s with back-to-back boundaries off the spinner then watched as Baldeo eased Dharamlall down the ground for his fifth four before the lunch break.
Demerara had the opportunity to remove both batsmen during the post-tea session, but fortunately for the Berbice pair, Mana and Dharamlall grassed the opportunities which should have been taken even if they were sleepwalking.
Baldeo got to his 50 shortly after from 55 balls with five fours and one six while batting for 103 minutes, then he watched as Hetmyer waded into Rutherford and struck him for three fours, before he swept Mark Hamilton to the vacant fine leg position for his 16th four.
That boundary brought up his 100 from 140 minutes of batting and 107 balls, before he lost Baldeo, who was caught by Akshaya Persaud at slip off Travis Persaud’s bowling for 66 (76 balls, 5×4; 1×6), ending their 169-run second-wicket partnership.
Hetmyer gifted his wicket away, when he knocked it down in his attempt to cut a delivery from Dharamlall when on 114 (124 balls, 16×4) at 196 for 3, while Demerara removed Samuel Kishnasammy (0) and Kassim Khan (5) before tea, taken with Berbice 209 for 5.
After tea, the Demerara fielders’ sloppy attitude continued as they grassed two easy chances from Ramdhan, who said thanks by hitting Rutherford unto the roof of the Media Centre, along with three fours, before Grisean Grant (1) was lbw to Akshaya Persaud 238 for 6.
Rutherford returned to account for Brandon Persaud (1) and Ritesh Omroa (0) in the space of four balls, to leave Berbice on 239 for 8 and wrapped up the innings with another double strike in his following over, dismissing Ramdhan (48) and Omar Weatherspoon (2).
Set 298 to record a come-from-behind win, Demerara lost Ronaldo Renee (4), Akshaya Persaud (3) and Tevin Imloch 9 (2×4) to be 22 for 3 in slightly overcast conditions.
When Travis Persaud 13 (2×4) had his leg stump uprooted by Grant and Dharamlall (4) was lbw to Baldeo, Demerara were wobbly-placed on 37 for 5, before Mark Hamilton and Carlton Jacques revived the innings with their 27-run sixth-wicket partnership, before they were both dismissed.
Daniel Lewis accounted for Jayadev Mana (1) just before the close of play, to support Grant 3 for 23 and Baldeo 2 for 20, as the Berbicians upstaged Rutherford’s match haul of 9 for 108 with a total team effort, led by their captain’s ton in the second innings.
In Queenstown, Essequibo and the National Under-17 were locked in a battle for full points, after the Cinderella County team bowled out their opponents for 147, led by 23 from Raymond Perez and 19 each from Ashmead Nedd and Timothy McAlmont.
Left-arm spin twins Akini Adams (4 for 32) and Keanu Harry (3 for 26) did the damage with the ball for Essequibo, who in their second innings were bowled out for 140, even though Kemo Paul topscored with 52, Parmesh Parsotam made 29 and Travis Drakes an unbeaten 28.
Ricardo Ali-Mohammed took 3 for 28 and Richie Looknauth 2 for 62 for the National Under-17s, who were set a victory target of 256 and reached 17 for 2 at the close of play.

By Calvin Roberts

 

 

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