-Persaud, Lord help Demerara to victory; Berbice beat Select X1

West Indies off-spinner Kevin Sinclair grabbed 5-32 before Rampertab Ramnauth made 52 as Berbice reached 128-4 in just 13.2 overs replying to the Select X1’s 127 in 34 overs when round three in the Guyana Cricket Board Super 50 Intercounty tournament was played yesterday.
Despite an entertaining 72 from 17-year-old Jonathon Van Lange at the Lusignan ground, the Berbicians could not advance to the final where Demerara will clash with Essequibo tomorrow (Saturday) at Bourda.

Ramnauth hit eight fours and six in 35-ball half century while Junior Sinclair scored 38 from 23 balls with two fours and four sixes as Berbice tried desperately to improve their net run rate.
Junior Sinclair (2-20) and veteran Veerasammy Permaul (2-44) also contributed for Berbice who were hoping that Demerara would beat Essequibo very badly in the other preliminary round encounter at Bourda.

But although Demerara beat Essequibo by 37 runs the margin was not for Berbice to advance to the final of the tournament which is being used to pick the National Team for the 2024 Regional CG Super50 set from October 28 in Trinidad.
At Bourda, Demerara was dismissed for 227 in 46 overs with Tagenarine Chanderpaul making 41 to become leading scorer in the tournament with 203 runs.
He is also the only batter to score a century (103 not out).

This was the first time that Chanderpaul was dismissed after he had added 42 with Matthew Nandu (18) for the first wicket before Keemo Paul removed both openers.
Pacer Quinten Sampson got rid of Skipper Tevin Imlach (2) and Raymond Pereez (8) before Akshaya Persaud who hit four fours and a six in his 43-ball 62 (his second fifty in the tournament) featured in a 57-run stand with Rishi Looknauth (21).

But once Persaud was dismissed at 172-7 only Renaldo Ali-Mohemmed (39) and Lord (16) reached double figures.
Paul (3-43), Sampson (2-33) and Antony Adams (2-20) were the main wicket-takers from Essequibo reached 190-9 innings closed.
Ricardo Peters (19) was forced to retire hurt after sharing in brisk 29-run opening stand with Kevin Boodie (26).

Kanhaiya Ramkarran who was run out for 39, Ricardo Adams (26), Kemol Savory (30) and Paul who hit a couple of sixes in 18, all got starts but could not convert them into big scores.
Left-arm spinner Devon Lord continued his impressive tournament by capturing 3-50 to take wicket-tally to 10; the most in the tournament.
The final is scheduled to start at 09:30 hrs.