By Rajiv Bisnauth

LOOKNAUTH Chinkoo and Jonathan Fernandes rebuilt Essequibo’s first innings with a gutsy sixth-wicket partnership that eventually guided their team to 197 all out against Demerara in the third round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)-sponsored Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company Under-19 three-day cricket tournament, yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.When play ended on the second day, Demerara openers Ronaldo Renee and Raymond Perez survived six testing overs, with the score on 16 without loss.
Renee and Perez are set to resume today on seven each, with Demerara 182 runs away from first-innings points.
Earlier, Chinkoo and Fernandes had manufactured a salvage operation after they had been thrust together with Essequibo struggling at 101-5.
Demerara dominated the first 45 overs, piling the pressure on the Essequibo top order, who squandered ideal batting conditions.
Fernandes and Chinko, however, steadied the Essequibo ship and frustrated Demerara bowlers with dogged resistance as the pair put on 80, with Chinkoo hitting a top score of 52, inclusive of nine fours, while Fernandes made 37. Opener Mark Williams also contributed 46 to the total.
Keemo Paul’s decision to bat after winning the toss seemed logical as blazing sunshine greeted the players, but his top order batsmen including himself failed to cash in.
New-ball bowler Sherfane Rutherford was the chief destroyer, with figures of 4-27. He received support from left-arm spinner Keshram Seyhodan (3-37), while fellow new-ball bowler Ronaldo Alimohamed and spinners Travis and Darshan Persaud, all chipped in with a wicket apiece.
When play began at 11:40hrs, Essequibo openers Williams and Nathan Persaud were rather circumspect, resulting in the dismissal of Persaud, caught at gully off Rutherford for four.
After the early loss of Persaud, Williams and Siddiq Mohamed looked in fine nick as they ushered the visitors to lunch at 30-1, with Williams on 17 and Mohamed on seven.
However, the pair’s hard work was undone straight after the break by Seyhodan when he trapped Mohamed leg-before-wicket for 11.
The Essequibo skipper, who joined Williams, got off the mark with a straight six off Seyhodan, but four balls later Essequibo’s hopes for a strong third-wicket partnership took a dent. Paul, the 18-year-old was brilliantly bowled by Darshan Persaud for seven.
Williams then survived two dropped chances to Seyhodan when he was on 32, but together with Akinie Adams carved out a 30-run partnership for the fourth wicket that offered Essequibo some promise.
However, both batsmen were separated in the space of 23 runs, as Williams went leg-before to Seyhodan, and Adams was bowled by off-spinner Travis Persaud for 13, at 101-5.
Fernandes joined forces with Chinkoo, who survived a stumping chance. The left-hander made full use of the opportunity offered and smashed consecutive fours and a six off off-spinner Malcolm Hubbard.
He then hit Persaud for his second six and by the interval, Essequibo were 155-5.
The pair had continued to build on the promising stand before rain intervened at 16:00hrs, with Chinkoo unbeaten on 49 and Fernandes on 36 not out.
Soon after resumption the right-hander Chinkoo brought up his half-century, but the pair were removed by Seyhodan and Rutherford in quick succession.
Rutherford then bowled Lesley Allen (0) as Essequibo slipped to 183-9.
Alimohamed was reintroduced into the attack and immediately bowled Miguel Jones for two. Demerara openers then batted to the close without much discomfort.
Meanwhile, in the other third and final round game, the Select Under-17 replying to Berbice’s first-innings total of 73, were 21-0.
Play resumes at both venues from 09:30hrs.