Berbice beat Essequibo by five wickets

LED by 50 extras and a top score of 26 not out with the bat from Player of the Match Crystal Durant, Berbice beat a spirited Essequibo line up by five wickets yesterday at the Malteenoes ground in the second round of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) female U-19 inter-county T20 cricket tournament.

In sweltering heat, Berbice won the toss and inserted Essequibo to bat on a flat track and fast outfield.
Essequibo had an inauspicious start when Aliya DaSilva was bowled by Tricia Hardat for a duck to leave Essequibo on 5-1.

Captain and Guyana U-19 batter Laurene Williams and Shonette Belgrave had shared in a crucial 60-run partnership to help Essequibo beat defending champs Demerara on Sunday at the same ground.
But yesterday, once Williams (7) and Belgrave (2) fell cheaply, Essequibo never recovered.

Laurene’s sister Latoya Williams made 15 while the burly Ashanti Mohamed made 14.
However, this was not enough to prevent Essequibo from being bowled out for a double-digit score as they fell for 90 in 16.4 overs.
Hardat, Crystal Durant and Daniela Hicks picked up two wickets each for Berbice, who, after a slight stutter, reached 91-5 to secure the win.

Durant hit a single boundary in her unbeaten 26 from 45 balls which was the only double figure score of the innings as the ladies from Essequibo were again brilliant in the field.
A stupendous catch by Latoya Williams; diving full length forward at mid-on to dismiss Denellie Lindee was one of the catches at inter-county level (men or women).

The weak link was the wicket keeper, whose porous work behind the wicket provided plenty of free runs to Berbice.
The final game is set for today at the same venue between Demerara and Berbice and is scheduled to commence at 13:30hrs.