Berbice Rips Through Demerara Batting
Thu, Nov 14, '02
Defending champions Berbice made a giant stride towards
retaining the Banks Malta Inter-county title when they skittled out
Demerara for a mere 116 on a rain-shortened first day at the
Diamond Community Centre ground in Guyana Thursday.
By the close of the four-day final round encounter, Berbice had
made a solid reply with 71, needing a further 46 runs to overhaul
the meagre first innings total. Narsingh Deonarine was undefeated
on 17 and Homchand Pooran 14.
Berbice lost attacking opener Andrew Gonsalves for 37 after the
right-hander and makeshift left-handed opener Deonarine had added
53 for the first wicket.
Gonsalves, was earlier put down by skipper Neil McGarrell on four
with the score on 11 while Demerara also had an opportunity to get
rid of Pooran off the first delivery he received but wicketkeeper
Troy Lewis spilled the chance.
Berbice were forced to open the batting with Deonarine after
regular opener Sewnarine Chattergoon was taken to hospital after
suffering a elbow injury while fielding at silly mid-off. He will
however be fit to bat today.
In what can only be described as an inept batting display, Demerara
surrendered meekly after winning the toss and surprisingly opting
to bat first on a pitch that still had some preparation moisture in
it.
They were in trouble immediately when opener Krishna Arjune (0)
swung wildly at delivery from Esuan Crandon in the third over,
edging an easy catch to wicketkeeper Vishal Nagamootoo.
The usually dependable left-handed Azeemul Haniff, who hit a
splendid century against Essequibo, started well with an elegant
four through mid-on off fast medium bowler Naresh Roopnarine before
the same bowler clipped his off stump two deliveries later, as the
batsman padded up to a delivery that swung late.
It was soon 26 for three when Lennox Cush (0), flicked the left-arm
Roopnarine to Damodar Daesrath who took a fine catch at backward
square leg, moving to his right.
In the meantime, Ricardo Mohamed, who decided that attack was the
best form of defence, played a number of handsome drives,
especially through the off-side but became Roopnarine?s third
victim when the lanky bowler sent his off-stump cart-wheeling out
of the ground at 39 for four. Mohamed?s 24 included four fours in
35 minutes off 22 balls.
The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) pair of Travis Dowlin and Derwin
Christian steadied the innings with sensible batting, mixing
aggression with defence, Christian in particular looking the more
aggressive.
The hard-hitting batsman, who was omitted for the game against
Essequibo, forced skipper Andre Percival to pull Roopnarine out of
the attack after smashing him for three consecutive fours in one
over - a savage hook, a square cut and a drive through mid-off.
The 42-run partnership in 57 minutes ended when Dowlin (20) drove
medium pacer Daesrath straight to Pooran at cover. He accepted the
catch gleefully. It was then 81 for four.
McGarrell joined Christian and never looked settled while the
latter continued to impress. He was however undone at 99 when
Crandon took a smart catch at mid-wicket off the bowling of
left-arm spinner Hemnarian Harrinarian. Christian?s top score of 35
included seven fours in 85 minutes off 61 balls.
There was more disaster for Demerara when McGarrell (nine) was
run-out on the stroke of tea - left stranded in no man?s land after
a terrible mix-up with Troy Lewis.
It was then 107 seven and soon 107 for nine with the dismissals of
Rayon Griffith (0), caught by wicketkeeper Nagamootoo off Daesrath
and Lewis (seven), also caught by Nagamootoo off Harrinarian.
Colin Stuart and Reon King added nine before the innings ended with
Daesrath taking a ?blinder? at third slip to see the back of King,
off a returning Crandon.
Demerara chose to leave out all-rounder Vishal Arjune and
leg-spinner Sean Thompson, preferring two wicketkeepers in
Christian and Lewis in their final XI, a move that seemed rather
strange, taking the balance of the team into consideration.
