Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 04, 2014 Sports
By Sean Devers
Berbice romped to a convincing seven-wicket win over the President’s X1 with a session and a half to spare yesterday in their second round Igloo Ice-Cream Under-15 two-day Inter County cricket match at the Wales Community Centre ground, West Bank Demerara.
Set 46 to win in two sessions and 76 overs, Berbice lost three wickets before achieving victory an hour before Tea. Berbice left-arm fast bowler Stephen ‘Santokie’ Kamalidin, who took six wickets, five of them in the first innings, was named Man-of-the-Match. Scores: President’s X1 (54 & 117), Berbice (129-7 & 45-3).
The President’s X1 resumed on their overnight 45-2 and in glorious sunshine progressed to 50 in the 27th over on a track beginning to offer prodigious turn for the spinners. Christopher Campbell and Stephon Wilson took the score to 54 before the left-handed Wilson (7) pushed tentatively forward and was bowled with one that spun back from left-arm spinner Kris Ramnarine.
When Campbell drove medium pacer Junior Williams to backward point for a patient 31 (3×4), the President’s X1 had slipped to 64-4. It was soon 68-6 after Ramnarine prized out Chandradat Veerasammy and Skipper Khemchand Hardyal in the space of a run as they both failed to score much to the excitement of the mostly neutral fans present.
The diminutive Williams, who hails from Lusignan was joined by Brandon Corlette and together they ensured that Berbice had to bat again. Corlette, who plays for Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club tried to emulate the club’s only Test player Assad Fudadin, taking 58 balls to score four runs before he was removed by Keith Simpson at 91-7.
Three runs later it was 94-8 when Williams, who hit two boundaries on the lush green outfield, was caught behind off Simpson before Kevin Sinclair got rid of Junior Phillips (11) and Azim Alli (7) off the last ball before Lunch.
Ramnarine had 4-32 while Kevin Sinclair and Keith Simpson picked up two each for Berbice who lost Junior Sinclair (3), Dineshwar Budoo (2) and Kevin Sinclair (9) who was shockingly adjudged run out although the ball clearly bounced out of the keeper’s gloves. Steve Deonarine (13) and Ramnarine (7) then saw their team to an emphatic win.
The President’s X1 had to bat up to Lunch due to the playing conditions which states that the batting teams must share equally the time remaining in the match in their second innings after the first innings was limited to 38 overs.
Berbice collected seven bowling points for wickets taken in the game by their fast bowlers in addition to the 12 they got for winning while the President’s X1 got six bowling points, their only points in the game.
Berbice Coach Andre Percival was pleased with yesterday’s win but admits the standard is not what he would have hoped for. “It always feels nice to be a winner but we have not played to the best of our ability as yet,” former Guyana First-Class left-hander Percival said.
The former West Indies Under-19 Captain says this competition is a good one but feels more time should be spent on preparing the youngsters.
“So far so good, because we could see the future of Guyana’s cricket right here. I am not a hundred percent satisfied with the standard and I think more work could have been done with the players, especially in the area of fitness,” the Berbician disclosed.
“Our plans for the Demerara game is to go into the match with our strongest team because we gave three guys a chance against the lesser teams but the last game will see a different scenario,” added Percival, who led Guyana to three successive Under-19 titles from 1992.
“It’s important to win. Since I was involved in this tournament (2012 & 2014) Berbice have never won. But I also believe that the development of players is far more important than winning, at this level. I also believe if you are properly prepared should win.” Percival concluded.
Berbice won the inaugural two-day title in 2011 but although they have dominated in the limited overs version, they have not won a two-day title since then. Julian Moore, the President’s X1 Coach agreed with Percival, saying that ideally you would want to spend more time on them because they are the nursery of our cricket.
“They are still young and there are so many areas you want to work on with players their age so as to get them better prepared to compete at the higher level” Moore, a former Berbice and Guyana Under-15 left-hander, added.
The final round is fixed to start tomorrow with defending champions Demerara facing Berbice in a virtual final at Everest. The President’s X1 take on Essequibo at DCC in the other match.
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