Wilkinson’s ton spur East Coast to 201-run win over East Bank

Vikash Wilkinson followed up his 47 on Monday against Upper Demerara with a shot-filled 125 and shared in a 199-run second wicket stand with Marcel Nandu (62) to spur East Coast to an emphatic 201-run win over East Bank in the third round of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) 50 overs Inter Association U-17 at the  Everest ground yesterday.

After a shower interrupted the game, the contest was reduced to a 38 overs per side.

Wilkinson and Nandu joined forces after Raymod Mangal (11) played a wild swipe was bowled by the lively Ropie Rajram at 35-1 in the fifth over and together flayed the bowlers to all parts of a slow Everest sward.

With the sun returning in all its glory, Wilson hammered Deonarine Dindial for couple boundaries in the fourth over which cost 14 runs as he dominated the opening stand.

East Coast made 267-3 off 38 overs while East Bank, set 269 to win on DLS system, collapsed for 66 off 18.5 overs.

Saif Ragbeer (3-4), Munish Outer (2-4), Suresh Sugrim (2-19) did the damage for East Coast who beat Upper Demerara on Monday.

Earlier, Nandu fended his first ball to fine leg for four off Rajram who utilised a track with good bounce and prodigious turn but once he settled in on track which was also good to bat on, he was content to play the supporting role.

Nandu whipped Rajram for four to post the 50 in 6.4 overs before Wilkinson launched into leggie Farhan Hussian and deposited him for four sixes and a four in an over which leaked 29 runs.

The last six brought up Wilkinson’s 50 and team’s 100 in the 11 th over before clobbering Jovid Duncan for another six.

He the thumped leg-spinner Sayeed Lakeram for six over cover and four to mid-wicket off consecutive balls and galloped into the 80’s when he brutally pulled a long-hop from Duncan forsix.

Nandu, the nephew of  Guyana opener Matthew Nandu, hit Renaldo Singh for consecutive boundaries as he demonstrated a sound technique.

When Wilkinson drove a ball through the legs of Hussian on the cover boundary to register eighth four, he had faced 73 balls and cleared the ropes eight time to become the tournament’s first centurion.

A boundary took Nandu to his fifty but with the partnership on 199 Wilkinson, looking score as much as possible for his team missed a ‘big shot’ and was bowled by Duncan at 234-2.

Wilkinson’s 125 lasted 98 balls as he  slowed down a bit in the 90’s. his innings was decorated with 11 fours and nine sixes.

Nandu was removed by Duncan for 62 from 104 balls with eight fours at 235-5

Tyrick Walters, a sportscaster for NCN was unbeaten on 10 while Yannick Newton (5) fell to off the final ball to Rajram, who surprisingly bowled  only five overs.

Rajram (2-37) and Duncan (2-44) had two wickets each for East Bank who stared badly when the towering Walters made the breakthrough in his first over.

In a ‘red ball’ match unavoidably played with black sightscreens only Latchman offered token resistance with 18 after he was struck on his mouth when fielding.

He had to be taken off the field by his teammates since there ewas no physio sent by the DCB.

The next match is set for today at the same venue when Georgetown which could be strengthened by inclusion of National U-19 selectees Jonaton Van Lange and Riyad Latiff, face-off with Upper Demerara from 8 AM.

Georgetown, set 101 to win, lost by one run against West Demerara in the opening round on Sunday.