DESPITE steaming hot conditions at Lusignan yesterday the final
preliminary round GCB’s Queensway Security Inter-County
Super50 between Essequibo and the Select X1 was delayed for
90 minutes due to wet spot on the pitch resulting in the contest
being reduced to 45 overs per side.
Watched by a fair size crowd the Select X1, strengthened by the inclusion of Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul who recently returned from India, were decimated for 69 in 30.3 overs.
The left-handed batter, one of three Guyanese who returned from the two-Test series which West Indies lost 2-nil, again failed, being trapped LBW by fast bowler Ronsford Beaton for one in the third over.
The select X1 never recovered as only Bartician Renaldo Jeffery who hit two fours in 22 and Afraz Budhoo (12) reached double figures.
Antony Adams grabbed 4-27 and got support from Beaton (2-9) and Ricardo Adams (2-16) for Essequibo who galloped to 70-0 in just 7.2 overs to win by 10 wickets and qualify for next Sunday’s final.

The 32-year-old Boodie, who scored the only Senior Inter County double Century in 2014 against the National U-19 team, finished undefeated on 54 from 33 balls with five fours and four sixes. Kanhaiya Ramkarran played the role of silent partner, ending on 14 not out with two fours.
Boodie played his only Regional 50-over match in 2016 when he made six as Assad Fudadin’s unbeaten 103 give Guyana a five-wicket win against CCC and is a contender for an opening spot for the 2025 Regional Super50 from November 19-29 in Trinidad.
Earlier, the 29-year-old Chanderpaul, who managed just 52 from four innings in India missed one on the stumps from Beaton and the ball crashed into his pads at 2-1.
Beaton, working good pace on a flat track removed Romeo Deonarain (1) and the select X1 were 5-2.
After Budhoo fell to Ricardo Adams at 23-3, Kwesi Mickel (1) was run out, Antony Adams had Brandon Jaikarran (8) stumped, Ricardo dismissed Carlos LaRose (3) and Antony Adams bowled Romario Ramdeholl (0) on 33-7 as five wickets tumbled for 10 runs.
Antony Adams had Aryan Persaud (7) LBW at 52-8 before Jeffery (22) was stumped off Antony Adams and Joshua Jones (9) was stumped off Myhiem Khan.
Essequibo played three matches and won two of them to reach 23 points.
The team from Guyana’s largest County has 15 Bonus points with NRR of 1.776 to secure a place in next Sunday’s final.
Defending Champions Demerara (17 points) will face-off with hosts Berbice (12 points) from 09:00hrs at the 69 ground today in virtual Semi-final.