Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 12, 2013 Sports
By Sean Devers
Former West Indies Under-19 leg-spinner Amir Khan engineered a Demerara recovery with 6-69 after Royston Crandon’s pugnacious 95 had set up Berbice for an imposing total on day two of the GT&T/Hand-in-Hand four-day Inter County cricket match at a sunlit Enmore ground yesterday.
The 21-year-old Khan who had 5-62 against Essequibo in the first round, befuddled the batsmen, grabbing his third five-wicket haul at this level as Berbice fell for 243 replying to Demerara’s disappointing 161 all out to give the visitors a lead of 82 runs.
Off-spinner Zaheer Mohamed supported home boy Khan by taking 2-46 to follow up his 6-11 in the opening round. At one stage, just after Lunch, Berbice’s biggest worry was when to declare with the score over 200 and both overnight batsmen well set for massive scores on a pitch with little assistance for the bowlers.
But then Khan, aided by some indifferent batting ripped the middle and lower order to shreds with his incisive 35.4-over spell. But by the close of play Demerara had dug themselves into a deep hole and were wobbling on the ropes on 68-6 in their second innings, still trailing by 14 runs. Bishoo had 3-15 from 15 overs and Crandon 2-12.
On a day blessed with glorious sunshine Berbice resumed on 73-3, needing another 89 for first innings points and the overnight pair of Crandon and night watchman Krisendat Ramoo took their team to 204 before Crandon was controversially given out caught behind off Khan, five short of what would have been consecutive tons at this level.
Visibly upset by the decision of Umpire Shannon Crawford, Crandon stood his ground before reluctantly leaving the field. His partnership with Ramoo was worth 131 runs and Crandon’s demise triggered a sensational Berbice collapse which saw them catapulting from 204-3 to 209-7.
Ramoo came out all guns blazing and smashed off-spinner Steven Jacobs for three scorching boundaries in the fourth over of the day, offering excellent support to the in-form Crandon, who greeted Mohamed with an exquisite cover driven boundary to bring up the 100 in 45.3 overs.
On a track which was at its best for batting and an outfield which was much faster than it was on the first day, Crandon smashed Chris Barnwell for a scintillating four in his first over of the day to bring the handful of spectators to life.
Crandon then edged a slash at Barnwell in his next over for a boundary to post the 50 partnership and celebrated with an all run four in the same over as the visitors confidently moved towards their target.
By Lunch Berbice had progressed to 182-3, enjoying a lead of 21 with Crandon, who had two chances in two balls off Barnwell, unbeaten on 86 with nine fours. Johnson put him down at second slip with the right-hander on 60 before the next ball flew past the head Ramnaresh Sarwan at first slip.
The fourth wicket pair batted out the entire first session yesterday and brought up their century partnership in 29 overs. The contribution from the 23-year-old Ramoo was 36 as the pair added 109 in the opening session.
Crandon hit nine fours, faced 163 balls and batted for 134 minutes and his unfortunate dismissal brought Demerara right back into the game. Jonathon Foo did not last long. The ball missed his forward defensive push and crashed into the stumps before he had scored and two wickets had tumbled at 204.
It was soon 205-6 when Devon Clements was LBW to Leon Jonson for duck and all of a sudden the atmosphere in the middle had dramatically changed over the course of three overs. Ramoo was denied a maiden Inter-County fifty when he was removed by Khan for 49 at 209-7. His 49 lasted 122 balls, 114 minutes and was decorated with six fours.
Anthony Bramble was trapped in front to the wily Khan for 15 at 226-8 and Khan’s home fans were dancing in the stands as he spearheaded the Demerara fight back.
Devendra Bishoo has a First-Class fifty and scored a ton in Berbice cricket earlier this month. But yesterday he was not allowed to score freely and missed a sweep off Mohamed and was bowled behind his back for seven with Berbice on 230-9.
Raun Johnson (11) threw his bat around before he missed a wild swipe at Khan and was bowed on the stroke of Tea. When Demerara began their second innings Rajendra Chandrika (2) and Trevon Griffith ended up in the same crease resulting in Chandrika being run out at 14-1 in the second over.
Johnson joined Griffith and the pair saw their team to 51 before Johnson (10), like he has done so often in his career, was dismissed sweeping. This time he was LBW to Bishoo. Griffith played some sweetly timed drives in an attractive 40 with three boundaries before another shocking umpiring decision, this time by Nandkumar Shivsankar, sent the DCC left-hander packing; caught behind with the score on 56-3.
Sarwan, Guyana’s youngest First-Class player, was very watchful and took 32 balls to score his first run before being stumped off Crandon for one at 62-4. Barnwell (5) was then bowled by Bishoo two runs later while Jacobs (2) played back to a ball which never got up and was LBW to Crandon and Demerara were tottering on 64-6.
Khan and Chris Panandin carried Demerara to the close on a pitch beginning to keep alarmingly low.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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