Man-of the-Match Van Lange decimates Essequibo with 158
By Sean Devers
ON a day blessed with blue skies and glorious sunshine, a destructive maiden century from the multi-talented Jonathan Van Lange powered Demerara to a crushing 202-run win against Essequibo at Everest yesterday in third round of the GCB 50-over U-17 inter County tournament.

On a heavy outfield from recent showers and shortened boundaries, Demerara opted to bat on a raging ‘turner’ and Skipper Van Lange, who also represents Guyana in Table Tennis, reached the four times and cleared on 17 occasions in brutal ton as Demerara reached 272-9 when their 50 overs expired.

Left-arm spinner Gulcharran Chulai befuddled the batters with 3-11 from 10 frugal overs and got support from Shaaziff Mohamed and Roydon Morris who captured two wickets each for Essequibo who were bundled out for 70 in 32.2 overs.
Benny Persaud (16*) and Govin Persaud (17) were the only batters to reach double figures and shared in a partnership of 27 before Govin was run out in another sub standing batting performance from Essequibo, who fell for 58 against Berbice at Port Mourant in the opening round.

With some off their batters wearing white pads in a game played with white balls, no under-19 cricket tournaments played in Guyana’s largest County and National U-15 left-hand Zandon Rose showing very little inclination to get in line of short balls from Van Lange and Shane Prince on a slow track while the demise of the burly Rose, who has put on weight and was bowled by Van Lange, playing an irresponsible slug, emphasised the dire state of youth cricket in Essequibo.

Man-of-the Match Van Lange, Prince, Stephon Sankar and Nityanana Mathura had two wickets each.
Earlier, Demerara openers Vikash Wilson, who hit four fours in his 66 ball-34, added 46 for the first wicket in sweltering heat with Deonarine Dindyal (17) before Shaaziff Mohamed struck in the 14th overs when he bowled Dindyal.
Sachin Balgobin was caught and bowled by Chulai for a duck, three runs later before Nicolas Seepersaud (2) was bowled by Mohamed 58-3.

The set Wilson played across the line to Chulai and was bowled at 58-4 and when Sayed Lakram (1) was stumped off Chulai, who turned the ball ‘Square’ Demerara had slumped to 60-5 as they lost five wickets for 14 runs on a difficult pitch to bat on.
The powerfully built Van Lange, leading the side in place the ill Romario Deonarain, joined Mathura and pair began ‘Operation re-build’ with the right handed Van Lange launched a savage assault on the hapless bowling attack as sixes rained at Everest.
Mathura, who found it difficult against the spinners, played the supporting role as Van Lange reached his century from just 53 balls after posting his 50 from 32 balls.

Van Lange, dropped twice, made the Essequibians pay dearly for their lapses with some big sixes, one which hit the old ammunition bunker built during the second World War to North of the ground.
After Mathura’ important 25 from 50 balls was ended by Morris who struck twice in the 40th when he also trapped Hemraj Harripersaud LBW for a duck as two wicket tumbled at 158.

Sankar (3) played an injudicious swipe and was bowled by Bruce Vincent at 199-8 but Van Lange kept going.
Neeran Bani, who twice got inside edges past backward square for boundaries, was left unbeaten on 11 when Van Lange was taken at long-on off the final ball of the inning.
The action continues tomorrow at Everest from 9:30 AM