By Rajiv Bisnauth
SET 148 for victory, Upper Corentyne closed the penultimate day of their third round game against Lower Corentyne on 25-2 in the Jaguars Franchise League Three-day competition yesterday when play ended yesterday at the Port Mourant Cricket Club ground..Andy Mohan (8) and Arif Chan (0), will resume today with Upper Corentyne, still 123 runs behind.
Earlier, Upper Corentyne were bowled out 41 minutes before lunch for 220, a first innings lead of 58 runs.
Starting the day from their overnight 133-5, Chan and Shawn Pereira looked to get settled in and push their team towards Lower Corentyne first innings total of 162.
They, however, started the day very cautiously, as Lower Corentyne continued their ploy of bowling tight and not giving away easy runs to the batsmen.
The overnight pair eventually took the total to 140. But the inevitable finally happened as left-arm spinner Kassim Khan got the breakthrough by removing Chan for 21.
Clinton Pestano joined Pereira, and he too was in some trouble against Khan. However, the pair wiped out the first innings deficit, but soon after Khan was again rewarded for bowling tight when he removed Pestano for 13.
Pereira in company with Eon Hooper put together 32 runs for the seventh wicket, as the lead crossed the 50-mark.
During that partnership there was momentum shift as Hooper brought out his attacking shots, hitting three sweetly timed boundaries during his valiant knock to remain unbeaten on 35.
Pereira was dismissed by Sharaz Ramcharran for 27, while Keon Sinclair was removed by Devon Clements for three and Omesh Mathura was run out without scoring.
Khan finished with 3-73, while pacer Nail Smith (2-21), Clements (2-19), Raun Johnson (1-45) and Ramcharran (1-30), were the other successful bowlers.
The start of the third innings was superb for Upper Corentyne as Pestano (2-20) got opener Waheid Edwards in the first over, caught at first slip without scoring, at 5-1.
Fellow opener Kandasammy Surujnarine and Jonathan Foo negotiated the remainder of play, and by lunch they have progressed to 22.
After seeing off the period before the interval, the pair applied themselves. The duo kept picking ones and twos and the odd boundary when the opportunity was being presented.
Surujnarine, especially, was quick to pounce on any width outside the offstump, be it the pacers of spinners.
Lower Corentyne then lost Foo (40), and Gajanand Singh (10), in quick succession, off the bowling of Pestano and Eon Hooper.
On the other hand, Surujnarine stood firm at the other end. However, after the interval Hooper made significant inroads, claiming four other wickets to finished with figures of 5-48. Surujnarine made 86 from 148 balls, with nine fours and a six, while spinner Mathura had 3-23.
Meanwhile, score in the other three games are as follows:
At Cumberland: West Demerara resuming on their overnight score of 276/5 reached 369/9 before declaring with a healthy lead of 338. Travis Persaud made 39, Kemol Savory score 28 and Rishi Looknauth contributing 22 not out. Reifer had earlier struck 119 and Akshaya Persaud made 73. Bowling for West Berbice, Brandon Bess returning to cricket after a long lay-off took 2/33, Javed Karim claimed 2/46 while Kevin Jawahir had 2/104.
West Berbice in their second turn at the crease feared a little better than their first innings 30 with 114 all out. Kevin Jawahir scored 45.
Bowling for West Demerara, Askhaya Persaud had 4/30 while Rishi Looknauth took 3/45. West Berbice lost by an innings and 124 runs inside 2 days.
At Bourda: East Coast Demerara won the toss and chose to bat first. However, they could only muster 148 as off spinner Gajanan Suknanan bagged 7/37 bowling for Georgetown. Gavin Boodwah and Ramnarine Chatura top score with 40 apiece.
Georgetown ended the day on 63/3. Robin Bachhus 18, Andrew Lyght 25 and Ovid Richardson 4 were the batsmen dismissed. Vivian Albert has so far taken 2/10.
At Everest, no play was possible on day 2 because of a wet outfield.
Play will continue today at GCC, Port Mourant and Everest.