… Demerara beat Essequibo by an innings and 106 runs
BERBICE spin trio turned in impressive performances with the ball to stifle the Select Under-17 team for the second time in two days, to record a 5-wicket win in the first-round fixture of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited-sponsored Under-19 Inter-County cricket competition yesterday, at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
The three spinners, Kevin Sinclair (3-9), Keith Simpson (3-15), and Deon Sinclair (3-19), helped Berbice dismiss the Select Under-17s for 85 in their second innings.
The Select Under-17s lost their last five wickets for just 28 runs, 50 minutes into the post-lunch session, as they folded in 46.3 overs. Kevlon Anderson stroked a fighting 45, and was the lone batsman to offer some fight.
Fast bowler Sylus Tyndall and Deon Sinclair claimed three wickets in the morning session to trigger the collapse after they resumed day two on 5-2.
Junior Sinclair (2) was removed by Tyndall, while Sinclair claimed the wickets of Orlando Jailall (6), and Rajendra Singh (10), at 57-5 at lunch.

However, after the interval the remaining batsmen caved in without much resistance. Set 86 to win, Berbice made heavy weather of a paltry target but held their nerve in the end to win with a day to spare.
The Berbicians were 64-5, before recovering to reach their target. Javid Karim (41 not out) and Matthew Hardyal (7 not out) added an unbroken 23 for the sixth-wicket to seal the win.
Junior Sinclair claimed 3-25 to be the most successful bowler in a losing cause.
Meanwhile, Essequibo crumbled to a pathetic innings-and-106-run defeat to Demerara, with also a day to spare at the Police Sports Club ground.
Faced with a first-innings deficit of 221, Essequibo chronically weak batting imploded again. They were bowled out for 115 in 73 overs.
Sheldon Charles was the only batsman to put up some resistance, with 25. Spinners again were the main destroyers. Keshram Seybodan claimed 4-20, Richie Looknauth 2-30, while Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, Raymond Perez and Sagar Hatheramani chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Earlier, Demerara stretched their overnight total of 230-5 to 327 before declaring at lunch. Overnight batsmen Ramnarine Chatura and Looknauth took their tally to 40 and 50 respectively. Hatheramani (15) and Kishna Singh (4) were the other batsmen dismissed while Mark Jeffers was left unbeaten on 14.
Left-arm spinner Joel Fortune claimed three of the wickets to fell during that session, to finish with figures of 6-74. Joshua Jones, Chanderpaul Mohabir, and Mahindra Persaud were the other successful bowlers for Essequibo.
The second round is scheduled to commence on Thursday.