IN sunny conditions yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, defending champions Berbice, beat Essequibo by four wickets in the second round of the GCB 50- over U-19 Inter-County cricket tournament.
Berbice lost six wickets while chasing Essequibo’s paltry 113 in 26.4 overs to reach 116-6.

Essequibo’s disappointing total was built around 21 from Ashton Simmons (21), 19 from Terry Wong and 13 from Gowkaran Chulia, while Extras contributed 20 valuable runs.
Salim Khan followed up his 4-18 against the Select X1 by capturing 4-30. He got support from Micah Amsterdam, who took 3-18.

When Berbice began their reply, Rampersaud Ramnauth fell for nine at 19-1 before Alex Algoo and Ramnauth’s sibling Rampertab saw the fifty posted.
However, with the score on 55, Algoo played a series of scintillating shots on both sides of the wickets, in his shot- filled 34, decorated by three fours and three sixes.

Algoo’s demise in the 10th over brought Rashaad Gaffor, but Chulai breached Gaffor’s defence to leave the score on 66-3.
Rampertab (13) was removed by Saif Samaroo at 70-4 before Damion Cecil (7) fell to Navindra Sankar at 80-5.

Berbice would lose Afraz Budhoo (17), but an unbeaten 21 from Matthew Pottaya ensured that Berbice remained unbeaten., They now face Demerara to play in the final round.