Stuart Rips Through E'bo Batting

Essequibo was left tottering at 38 for eight in their first innings at the close of play of an eventful second day of their second round Banks Malta Inter-county four-day encounter against Demerara at the Hampton Court ground Friday.

Brilliant bowling by the pacy Colin Stuart, who has so far captured an amazing five wickets for four runs, coupled with a poor batting display, have left the homesters with the daunting task of scoring another 138 runs to avoid the follow-on when play resumes on the third day today.

Demerara had earlier declared their first innings at 310 for nine with opener Azeemul Haniff, who resumed on 64, hitting a fine 115 and skipper Neil McGarrell a solid unbeaten 71.

The hapless Essequibians were made to struggle almost from the outset, after Stuart?s maiden first over - Rayon Griffith sending back opener Deonauth Baksh and Sase Narine with consecutive deliveries without a run on the board in the second over, Baksh edging to wicketkeeper Troy Lewis for his third consecutive duck in this year?s tournament and Narine trapped lbw, padding out a delivery on his middle stump.

The left-handed Troy Cornelius (seven) shaped well before chasing a wide delivery from Stuart outside the off stump, to be snapped up by Krishna Arjune in the gully.

From 11 for three, Essequibo slipped to 14 for seven with Stuart in full cry, trapping Raymond Bacchus lbw off the first ball he received, uprooting the middle stump of Shivanandan Madholall, sending back the gutsy Dinesh Joseph (six), caught in the gully by Krishna Arjune while wicketkeeper Prashad Mahadeo was also a first-ball victim, caught at slip by McGarrell.

Captain Elroy Stephney and Robert Moore ensured Essequibo passed their lowest score ever, 31, at the Inter-county level, before the former went caught and bowled by McGarrell for eight at 33.

Moore, who hit a towering six off leg-spinner Sean Thompson, the second boundary of the innings, following a four from Cornelius, was undefeated on 11 while Thomas was on two when bad light intervened at 17:15 hrs.

Griffith supported Stuart with two for 13 from six overs while McGarrell has one for four from three.

Earlier, Haniff?s dismissal at 210 for six, had signalled a lower-order collapse as the visiting team slid to 243 for nine, losing four wickets for 33 runs.

The Essequibians must have harboured thoughts then of restricting Demerara below the 250-mark but an undefeated last-wicket partnership of 67 between McGarrell and fast bowler Colin Stuart ensured they reached a respectable 310 before the declaration came on the stroke of an extended pre-tea session.

Essequibo should have claimed their first wicket immediately on the resumption yesterday morning but for a lapse in fielding by Cornelius, who fumbled the ball at square leg with Lennox Cush stranded three-quarters down the pitch.

Luckily for the homesters, Cush (three), did not survive long after, skying a catch to captain Elroy Stephney at mid-off off fast bowler Thomas in the day?s third over. It was then 119 for three.

Haniff then found a useful ally in Travis Dowlin, who looked positive from the start, hitting a six effortlessly over long-on off left-arm spinner Robert Moore.

The left-handed Haniff reached a well-deserved hundred in similar fashion to his half-century, hoisting off-spinner Raymond Bacchus over long on for his second six. On the first day, the bowler was Moore. He also stroked five fours in 265 minutes but lost his partner shortly after when medium pacer Madholall trapped Dowlin lbw for 30 with a delivery that kept appreciably low.

The two had added 86 runs for the fourth wicket in 105 minutes, with Dowlin?s knock including a six and a four off 81 balls.

Haniff departed five runs later, at 210 for six, caught at wide mid-off by Stephney off Madholall, his 115, including six fours and two sixes in 301 minutes off 239 balls.

Stephney then induced Vishal Arjune (one) to edge a delivery to wicketkeeper Mahadeo who accepted the catch on the second attempt while Madholall claimed his third wicket when he trapped wicketkeeper Lewis lbw without scoring.

Thomas, Essequibo?s hero against Berbice, returned to capture the wickets of Griffith (eight), brilliantly caught by Joseph at slip and Thompson lbw for one before McGarrell and Stuart featured in their frustrating last-wicket stand.

Mixing aggression with solid defence and with excellent running, the pair ensured that the tea session was extended beyond the stipulated 14:40 hrs.

The declaration eventually came when a sharp shower chased the players off the field in the final over before tea, much to the relief of the Essequibians who surely did not cater for what was to follow.

McGarrell?s unbeaten 71 contained two fours and one six in 167 minutes off 132 balls while the 67-run partnership occupied 94 minutes.

Thomas finished with four for 49 from 28 overs, to follow his eight for 87 in Berbice?s first innings while Madholall took three for 66 from 21.