E’bo holds advantage going into final day

By Sean Devers
Essequibo, spearhead by a 11-wicket match haul from their captain Aryan Persaud and an unbeaten 40 from Myhiem Khan, holds the advantage going into the final day of the opening round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Government of Guyana (GOG) and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) three-day U-19 tournament today at Bourda.

Essequibo resumed yesterday on 51-4 in reply to the GCB Select X1 209 all out and overnight batter, Shaahid Vieira, added six to his overnight 28 before he fell to Ezekiel Wilson for 34.

But only Thaddeus Lovell 32, Skipper Aryan Persaud 11 and Ronaldo Schouten 21 reached double figures as Essequibo made 134 in hot conditions.

Wilson finished with 3-37 and got support from Chanderpaul Ramraj 2-16, and Dillion Ramsaroop 2-20.

With a lead of 75, the GCB Select X1 were dismissed for 157 with Rashad Gaffur 13, Kevin Kisten 28, Sachin Balgobin 16, Nityanand Mathura 30 and Ezekiel Wilson 25 all getting starts on flat track without going on to something substantial.

Wilson, who reached the boundary twice and Mathura, whose 30 came from 70 balls without a four, put together 35 in the biggest stand of the innings after they came together when Kisten was dismissed at 74-4.

Matthew Pataya ran out of partners to finish unbeaten on 18 as left-arm spinner Persaud followed up his 5-69 in the first innings with 6-53.

Essequibo, needing 162 to win, were 70-1 in the second innings after losing Harold De Matos for four before Shaahid Vieira not out on 19 with one boundary and Khan, unbeaten on 40 from 59 balls with seven fours, saw their team to the close.

Today is the third and final day and play is scheduled to commence at 10:00am