By Rajiv Bisnauth

BERBICE sleepwalked to an embarrassing eight-wicket defeat at the hands of the Select Under-17 team in round one of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)-sponsored Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company Under-19 one-day cricket tournament yesterday, at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club ground.Led superbly by their bowlers, especially off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, who finished with figures of 4-8, Select Under-17 team effectively tied down the Berbice batsmen who struggled to build any momentum. They were bowled out for 126 in 32.3 overs.
Only Adrian Sukwah painstakingly dragged Berbice to a point of some respectability, with a 76-ball 56, inclusive of four fours and a six.
Sukwah featured in two vital partnerships, he first added 40 for the third wicket with Matthew Hardial (4) and then shared 59 runs for the fifth wicket with Joel Seetram (39).
Deciding to bat first on a track that appears to offer even bounce, relative turn and favourable stroke play, Berbice were in early trouble, losing the wickets of Sasenarine Sookhoo (1) and Alex Algoo (2) to Alphius Bookie and Joshua Jones respectively at 6-2.
After the third-wicket stand between Sukwah and Hardial, Tameshwar Motiram removed the latter, before Sagar Hathiramani accounted for the dismissal of Zameer Inshan without scoring.
Sukwah and Seetram took the score to 106-5 before Berbice collapsed, losing their remaining wickets, including the duo in the space of 20 runs, with Sinclair and left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd (2-30) accounting for the final six wickets.
Bhaskar Yadram and Sachin Singh made a positive start to the Under-17’s reply, adding 108 runs together in quick time before Singh was removed by Seetram for 43.
Deon Venture went without scoring at 108-2, but Joshua Persaud and Yadram saw them home, with Yadram finishing unbeaten on 50, having stroked six boundaries. Venture was unbeaten on 14 when victory was achieved after 22.5 overs.
Meanwhile, Demerara crushed Essequibo by 125 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method in the other first round game.at the Wales cricket ground. Demerara made 162-6 in 38 overs. Set a revised target of 181, Essequibo were bowled out for 56.
The second round is scheduled for tomorrow.