… Kevin Sinclair, Kevin Omroa bowl Berbice to 107-run victory

By Rajiv Bisnauth

DEMERARA pulled off a comprehensive 135-run victory over Essequibo in the second round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-17 Inter-County One-Day Tournament at the Enterprise ground yesterday.A stunning performance by off-spinner Sagar Hatheramani, backed by excellent fielding, helped Demerara to comfortably defend their total of 213-9.
Hatheramani (6-25) orchestrated a spectacular collapse that saw Essequibo go from 38-1 to 78 all out in 28.1 overs.
Bomesh Ramdahin (22), Kevin Christian (15) and Chanderpaul Mohabir (14) were the only batsmen to have reached double figures as Hatheramani provided his side with rip-roaring momentum by running rings around the Essequibo batsmen.
Leg-spinner Tameshwar Motiram complemented Hatheraman, and chipped in with 2-12 while left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd had 1-8.
Earlier, the game was reduced to 46 overs-a-side after overnight rain, saw left-arm spinner Joel Fortune produce a decisive role with the ball, claiming 5-31, after Essequibo won the toss and decided to have a bowl in murky conditions.
They executed their plans perfectly and the decision to bowl first paid off after 3.2 overs into the innings when medium pacer Shamar Dusraj (1-45) removed opener Bhaskar Yadram for 14 at 17-1.
Fellow opener Mark Ramsammy was joined by Robin Williams and the duo stitched together 35 for the second wicket.
However, just as the stand was gaining dangerous proportion, left-arm spinner Joel Fortune ended the promising partnership when he bowled Ramsammy for 17 with the batsman making room for the cut.
Williams then forged a positive partnership of 49 for the third wicket with Alphius Bookie before his momentum was broken. Williams was taken at the wicket off Fortune for a 27-ball 41, inclusive of five boundaries.
That dismissal triggered a mini middle-order collapse, much to the annoyance of coach Garvin Nedd. Bookie was run-out in a mix-up with Kurt Lovell for 19, after which Lovell was trapped leg-before-wicket to Fortune for 23 and Hatheramani was bowled by Fortune for one.
Essequibo then restricted the smooth flow of runs thereafter, resulting in a quiet phase as Rajendra Singh and Nedd tried to make amends for the wobble.
The duo managed to keep Essequibo bowlers at bay for the next seven overs but, just as they seemed to be settling down, medium pacer Randy Rooplall (2-15) had an entry in the wickets column when he removed both Nedd (14) and Singh (17) in quick succession.
Despite those two dismissals Anthony Antonio and Tameshwar Motiram were defiant and managed to prevent further damage till the final over when Fortune bowled Antonio for 26 to complete his five-wicket haul.
Motiram stayed unbeaten on 19 at the end in the company of Colin Barlow (1).
The run chase with purposeful Ramdahin and Christian added 38 for the first wicket in 13.2 overs, but the introduction of spin at both ends ended the openers’ resistance.
Hatheramani claimed the wicket of Ramdahin while left-arm spinner Nedd removed Christian for 15.
From that point, Essequibo never looked like chasing down the target. They lost Orlando Jailall via run-out without scoring, before Hatheramani removed Chanderpaul Mohabir (14) and Quintin Sampson (2) at 69-5.
Motiram drove home the advantage when he bowled Reon Venture for six.
Hatheramani then removed Joshua Jones (6), Fortune (0), Besham Moses (0) to complete his hat-trick before Motiram claimed the final wicket of Randy Rooplall as Essequibo’s last five wickets contributed 13 runs.
In the other game at Wales, Berbice hit back after being dismissed for 151 to whip the Selected Under-15 team by 107 runs.
Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair (5-10) and left-arm spinner Kevin Omroa (4-11) bowled economical and penetrative spells to skittle out the Selected Under-15 team for 44 in 23 overs. Steven Kalamadeen chipped in with 1-10.
Earlier, an all-round effort from the Selected Under-15 bowlers saw them restrict Berbice in 42.3 overs.
Kevin Sinclair (33) and Keith Simpson (26) were the only two batsmen to offer any meaningful resistance with the bat.
Bowling for the Selected Under-15 team, Gevon Schultz (3-13), Nigel Deodat (2-26), Dwayne Dick (2-32), Seon Glasgow (2-32) and Leon Swami (1-15) were the successful bowlers.
The third and final round is set for tomorrow with Essequibo playing the Selected Under-15 team at DCC and Demerara clashing with Berbice at GCC.