Demerara, Berbice play to thrilling tie in Pepsi Inter-County Final

Sep 30, 2013 Sports

Demerara clawed back to earn a tie against Berbice and in the final of the Pepsi Inter-County Cricket 50-over competition at Albion yesterday.
Watched by a small crowd when the game started four and a half hours late at 13:30 hrs due to a wet outfield, which was caused by overnight and morning rain, Demerara won the toss and asked Berbice to take first strike in over cast conditions.

The two captains jointly receiving the winning trophy from Larry Wills, Brands Executive of DDL.

Played on the slow track and (damp) heavy outfield the pair of West Indies left hander Sewnarine Chattergoon and the right handed Anthony  D’Andrade put together another half century opening partnership. The two weathered the storm as they mixed caution with aggression to post 73 in 21.1 overs before skipper Chattergoon went bowled by Steven Jacobs for 36(5×4) of 43 deliveries.
Devon Clements surprisingly came in at three and he and D’Andrade took the score to 96 before D’Andrade 39(4×4) tried to force the pace, skied one to deep mid-wicket where he was taken by Paul Wintz also off Jacobs.
The Pugnacious Jonathan Foo then strode to the crease and Demerara immediately turned to the pace of left hander Andre Stoll who started with a no ball. The free hit off a slow bumper went soaring over the boundary for six.
The persistent drizzle forced the umpires to call a halt to play with the score on 122-2 in 19 overs, with Foo on 15 and Clements 14.
After a 23-minute rain break the game was reduced to 20 overs a side and the final over was bowled by Captain Chris Barnwell. Berbice scored 10 from the over to finish with 131-3 with Foo striking two more fours to end on 23(1×6, 3×4). He eventually perished off the last ball as Clements ended on 16 not out.
Demerara used six bowlers with Jacobs taking 2-41 from five and Barnwell 1-23 from three being the wicket takers.
Demerara must have ruined their decision to field first, because using the Duckward /Lewis method they were required to score 151 in their 20 overs needing to score at over seven per over.
The visitors began their innings with Trevon Griffith and Robin Bacchus and Berbice used the pace and spin combination of Keon Joseph and Eon Hooper with the new balls.
Demerara began in a frenzy and were striking at over seven runs per over when Chrisendat Ramoo took over from Joseph after the fourth over. He immediately got success with Griffith19 (3×4) going for a big shot was well taken on the deep mid-wicket boundary at 38-1.
Clements came on to replace Hooper and he also got success with Bacchus also being well taken in the deep for 20(2×4) at 40-2.
Rajendra Chandreka and Barrington tried to steady the ship, but Barrington soon perished for 3 at 53-3 in the ninth over.
Barnwell immediately showed his intention as he lifted the first delivery he faced from Ramoo for six.
On the back of his outstanding bowling performing in the last game, West Indies leg spinner Devendra Bishoo was introduced into the attacked and had Chandreka brilliantly stumped by Anthony Bramble for 13(1×4) with the score on 64, but Barnwell responded by lifting Bishoo effortlessly out of the ground for a towering six.
The pair of Barnwell and Jacobs briefly threatened to take the initiative before Barnwell 18(2×6) off 13 balls was deceived by Bishoo and skied a catch to mid-off at 89-5.
With 44 needed from 30 deliveries Bishoo switched ends and caused some problems as Jacobs, who made 33(1×6, 3×4) off 19 deliveries, was removed with 27 needed from 12 balls.
Eight came off the first two deliveries bowled by Hooper, before Christian (6) and Zahir Mohammed (7) then departed. Shauquille Williams hit a six but then perished for 10 at 138-9.
With 13 needed off the last over bowled by Joseph and the last pair of Wintz and Stoll at the crease and the home must have been brimming with cofidence.  It came down to six runs from three deliveries and then five from two balls.
With two needed of the last delivery to tie the game, Foo fumbled an on drive from Stoll allowing the batsmen two runs to spark wild celebrations from the Demerara camp.
A dejected Berbice team departed the battle field knowing they had snatched a defeat from the jaws of victory to stun the home team supporters. Bishoo was named the man of the match for the second consecutive time. (Samuel Whyte)