– West Berbice whip Georgetown by eight wickets

OPENERS Kandasammy Surujnarine and Balchand Baldeo shared in a stunning unbroken stand of 201, as Upper Corentyne closed the penultimate day of their sixth round Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Franchise League three-day cricket tournament against East Bank in a commanding position, with an overall lead of 223 runs.

Surujnarine is unbeaten on 109 while Baldeo was on 75 when play ended at the Port Mourant ground.
Both batsmen batted with great fluency, and their 139 minutes at the wicket was evidence of their concentration.

Surujnarine has so far hit eight fours and a six while Baldeo counted seven boundaries.
Earlier, resuming at 127-3, East Bank overnight batsmen Sachin Singh and Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed extended their fourth-wicket stand, and in the process, both batsmen progressed to their respective half-century.

However, as the partnership was looking ominous, spinner David Latchaya (2-21), broke the promising 98-run stand when he bowled Ali-Mohamed for 55, at 163-4. His innings lasted for 73 balls, with eight fours and a six.

Singh followed immediately after, leg before wicket to leg spinner Shawn Pereira for 60. He reached the boundary on seven occasions while clearing it once in his 145-ball knock.
That dismissal saw the visitors losing three quick wickets: Darshan Persaud (8), Daniel Barker (8), and Ershad Ali (10), at 206-8.

Persaud was caught at first slip off Pereira; Daniel Barker caught in the covers by Clinton Pestano off Pereira, while Ali was bowled by Hooper.
Colin Benn and Totaram Bishun then survived until the interval, with Benn on 19 and Bishun on three. Upon resumption Pereira completed his five-wicket haul (5-57), when he trapped Bishun leg before wicket for 14.

Benn took his score to 31 before he was bowled by Latchaya. Keon Morris was left unbeaten on eight. Pestano (1-26), Hooper (1-63), and Dimitri Cameron (1-24), were the other successful bowlers.
With a first innings lead of 22 runs, the hosts were then put in a commanding position by their openers.

Meanwhile, at Bush Lot, West Berbice whipped Georgetown by eight wickets. The City team, faced with a first innings deficit of 75 runs, were bowled out for 151 in their second innings. Ovid Richardson (24), Martin Pestano-Bell (23), Sunil Singh (17) and captain Paul Wintz (23 not out), were the principal scorers.

Bowling for the hosts, Gudakesh Motie took 5-35 while Andrew Dutchin had 3-55. When play resumed yesterday, Bush Lot took their overnight score of 226-8, to 231. Gajanan Suknanan claimed 5-75, bowling for Georgetown.

Over at Young Warriors ground, West Demerara resuming from their overnight 284-7, were bowled out for 331. Tevin Imlach did not add to his overnight 119. Richie Looknauth was left unbeaten on 45. Karran Arjpaul claimed 4-56 while Kassim Khan took 3-81.

Lower Corentyne in reply closed the day on 146-8. Alex Algoo is unbeaten on 61. Khan made 25 to be the next significant scorer. Bowling for West Demerara, Mahendra Dhanpaul, Keshram Seyhoden and Akshaya Persaud, each claimed two wickets.

At theTuschen ground, Essequibo closed day one on four without loss, responding to East Coast 289 all out. Rajendra Chandrika 68, Joshua Persaud 56, Brian Sattuar 51, Bhaskar Yadram and Kamesh Yadram 30 runs each, were the top scorers for East Coast. Bowling for Essequibo, Anthony Adams claimed 6-81.