UPPER Corentyne defended 181 to register their first win in Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Guyana Cricket Inc. (GCI) Jaguars 50-over Franchise League tournament yesterday at the Port Mourant ground.

Anthony Bramble called correctly at the coin toss and Upper Corentyne took first strike against West Demerara. Openers Alex Algoo and T. Ramsarran batted resolutely taking the score to 45 by the 10th over before Algoo was bowled for 21 by Danpaul.

They lost wicket number two when left- arm seamer Raymon Reifer trapped Ramsaran in front to be adjudged lbw for 22, bringing the score to 55-2.

The introduction of Akshaya Persaud stymied the progress of the Upper Corentyne innings as they failed to produce a partnership of substance. Persaud had Joshua Ramsammy caught and bowled for 17. Then he removed captain Anthony Bramble lbw for 12 with the score on 86-5 by the 20th over.

Out-of-favour Guyana Jaguars off-spinner Eon Hooper rallied his team with a well-played 41. His efforts brought Upper Corentyne to record a fighting total of 180 all out. Bowling for West Demerara, Persaud had figures of 10-2-38-4, R. Looknauth 9-1-36-2, and Mohendra Dhanpaul 10-1-44-2.

At the innings break, West Demerara may have sensed victory as their bowlers did the job for them. They began with openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Tevin Imlach, but Imlach had a short stay at the crease. Despise hitting three crisp boundaries he was bowled by the lively Dimitri Cameron for 12.

Akshaya Persaud, batting at No.3, was quickly sent back, caught behind, by wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble off the bowling of Clinton Pestano for 3. Pestano then produced a smart caught-and-bowled result to send Raymon Reifer first ball back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

West Demerara continued losing wickets at regular intervals leaving Tagenarine Chanderpaul to fight at the other end.

A 64-run eighth-wicket partnership between Chanderpaul and Hubbard rekindled the optimism in their team’s camp. Hubbard took the attack to the Upper Corentyne bowlers, hitting 7 fours in his 40 runs from 34 balls.

But he attempted an almighty heave off Dimitri Cameron in the 42nd over and saw his middle stump cartwheel towards the keeper.

Sensing victory Upper Corentyne bowlers held their lengths to deny Tagenarine Chanderpaul any freebies as the score reached 155-8 in the 42nd over, Cameron had Persaud caught for 0 to put further pressure on West Demerara.

At that stage of the encounter they needed 24 runs from 7 overs. Tagenarine Chanderpaul batting solidly on 70 then hit a no-ball from Clinton Pestano for 4. He milked 9 more runs off Pestano’s over.

Chanderpaul lost his way somewhat and took a single which allowed Pestano to have the last laugh.

He delivered for his team with his penultimate delivery in the 44th over bowling Sewpersaud for 0, much to the dismay of the West Demerara players as they went down for 172 to lose by 9 runs.