ONCE AGAIN, budding all-rounder Shurfane Rutherford piloted Demerara to victory in the Guyana Cricket Board/Raj Singh Insurance Under-19 Inter-county limited overs tournament, this time over Essequibo who lost by 47 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis Method.The two were meeting in the final preliminary round match which was played at the Enmore Community Centre ground, where Essequibo, who were given a revised target of 153 to win off 20 overs, were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs as Rutherford held four catches while taking 2 for 18 with the ball, to be adjudged Man-of-the-Match at the end of proceedings.

Early morning showers which continued for most part of the day forced the 50 overs contest to be reduced by 30 overs, making it a T20 affair to which Demerara who were 35-0 off 10 overs at the first rain break, made 111-8 off their allotted overs.
When play resumed last-round centurion Tevin Imloch (22), Vivian Albert (15), Rutherford (14), Mark Hamilton (12) and Travis Persaud (11), took Demerara to their eventual total as Akini Adams and Keanu Harry shared eight wickets evenly, for 25 and 33 runs respectively.
Essequibo found themselves in a must-win situation if they were to have a chance to make it to tomorrow’s final at the Everest Cricket Club ground against Demerara, but found the revised target far out of their reach.
Only skipper Kemo Paul, who was dropped on 19 and 26, and Jonathan Fernandes offered any resistance, with 43 and 29 respectively, while spinner Travis Persaud, Tariq Dharamlall and Malcolm Hubbard took 2 wickets each for 0, 25 and 31 runs respectively to support Rutherford.
Meanwhile, while Demerara and Essequibo managed to play a T20 affair, rain had the final say in the contest which was scheduled for the Police Sports Club ground between the National Under-17 and newly crowned three-day champions Berbice.
The Ancient County team who lost their first two matches, badly needed a win if they were to have an outside chance of making the final on a better net run rate over Essequibo and the Under-17.
But play was abandoned without a ball being bowled, which meant the National Under-17 who stunned Essequibo in their first-round encounter, made it to tomorrow’s final against Demerara, as Berbice ended the tournament without a win, following their two losses to Demerara and Essequibo.