Rain has final say as last two sessions washed out

By Sean Devers
RAIN had the final say yesterday at the historic GCC Bourda as the second day’s in the GCB’s Senior Four-Day Inter-County final round match was officially called off at Tea, with two sessions of yesterday being washed.

When the day’s play was finally called off Essequibo, replying to Demerara’s 430-7 declared, Essequoibo reached 28-2 at Lunch.

Defending Champions Demerara began the second day on 394-6 with Akshaya Persaud on 110 and added 17 runs to his overnight score in overcast conditions before his stumps were scattered by Quieten Sampson at 418-7.

Ushardeva Balgobin (15) and Richie Looknauth (4) took the score to 430 before the declaration was made after 3.4 overs and 20 minutes in the day’s play.
Persaud batted for 260 minutes, faced 178 balls and hit nine fours and three sixes.

Left-arm spinner Ricardo Adams had 4-128 while off-spinner Malcome Hubbard took 2-83 for Essequibo lost Avinash Persaud (9) and Renaldo Renee (0) in the space of a run to Essequibo on 27-2.

There was a stoppage at 10:47 hrs which halted play for 25 minutes at 27-2 and when play resumed one run was scored before a second shower 10 minutes before the scheduled Lunch break caused an early Lunch to be taken with Essequibo on 28-2.

Kevin Boodie, who made a double century at DCC in the 50-over format in 2013 when Inter-County cricket was replaced by the Franchise League the next year, was on 15 with three fours and Hubbard on one

At 14:00hrs with rain no longer falling, the Umpires, in consultation with Match Referee Colin Alfred decided that an inspection would be made but as soon as the officials reached the bottom of steps, there was another downpour which continued well into the afternoonening.

Bourda is prone to flooding and if rain continues today and the match is washed out then Essequibo, with two wins and one point ahead of the home team at this stage, will win their first four-day title at this level.

Essequibo have beaten Demerara just once…in 1980 under the Captaincy of Bennie Sankar. However, they lost to Berbice inthe final which had First-Class status until 1990 when it was removed.

Essequibo are without Ronsford Beaton, Kemol Savory, Keemo Paul and Anthony Adams due to National duties while Demerara are without Leon Johnson, Matthew Nandu and Tevin Imlach