Khan bowls ECD in commanding position

By Rajiv Bisnauth

EAST Coast Demerara spinners combined for eight wickets on day one of their Jaguars Franchise League Three-day game against West Demerara yesterday at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club. Leg-spinner Amir Khan was the chief destroyer with 5-25, as ECD rattled the visitors batting line-up for just 111 in 36 overs on the stroke of lunch.
In reply the hosts closed on 137-5, a first-innings lead of 26.
Asked to bat first on a two-pace wicket with a sluggish outfield, the West Demerara side found themselves in early trouble and never recovered.
They lost both openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul (0) and Ronaldo Renee (4) to pacers Paul Wintz (1-7) and Gavin Morian (1-15), at 25-2.
Akashay Persaud and Kemol Savory took the total to 44, and the visitors would have hoped to move ahead without further damage, but the introduction of the spinners immediately made inroads.
Savory failed to make the most of a good start and was dismissed by off-spinner Vivian Albert for 18.
However, despite another dogged effort from Persaud and Raymon Reifer, Khan and fellow leg-spinner Steven Sankar (2-31) then claimed the last seven wickets.
Persaud made 18, while Reifer hit a composed 32.
The hosts then made a sluggish start, losing Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Kame Yadram within the first ten overs to left-arm pacer Reifer.
The Barbadian had opener Chandrika caught at the wicket for one while Hemraj (0) and Yadram (3) were both trapped leg-before-wicket.
Fellow opener Gavin Boodwah and Bhaskar Yadram joined forces and took the hosts to the tea interval, with some solid stroke-play.
After the interval the right-handed pair continued their sensible approach at the wicket, with both youngsters reaching half-century.
They then took the fourth-wicket stand to 120 before Yadram was dismissed by Richie Looknauth for 56, inclusive of five fours and two sixes.
Boodwah went soon after, leg-before to Mahendra Dhanpaul for 50.
Ramnarine Chatura and Albert will resume today on eight and one respectively.
Reifer has so far claimed 3-18 off 13 overs.
Meanwhile, summarised scores from the other three games are as follows:
Georgetown 65-3, replying to East Bank Demerara’s 192.
Upper Corentyne 54-1, in reply to West Berbice 222 and Lower Corentyne 173-2, replying to Essequibo’s 101.