Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-County…Paul’s belligerent 96 lights up ‘Dead’ game at DCC

Apr 20, 2016 Sports

E’bo need outright win to dethrone Demerara in Final round  

By Sean Devers
Kemo Paul’s belligerent 96 from just 43 balls and 56 minutes decorated with nine fours

Kemo Paul and Keeper Nathan Persaud watch as Kevin Sinclair pulls for four at DCC during his half-century yesterday.

and five sixes lit up the last hour of a ‘dead’ match with Essequibo being set 255 from 15 overs by the National U-17s for an unlikely win at DCC yesterday.
The rain washed out play without a ball being bowled on the second day of the GCB’s Hand-in-Hand three-day U-19 Inter-County game, robbing the second round game of a result as the U-17s, who notched up 244 in their first innings, took first innings points and finished with a draw against Essequibo who finished second on the points table with 18 points.
Defending Champions Demerara drew with Berbice after taking first innings points at Everest to take the lead and will aim to deny Essequibo an outright win from tomorrow in the final round game at Wales. Essequibo must win to take their first ever Inter-County U-19 title.
When play began on a track with too much moisture due to the ‘sweating’ from the covers after they were removed late, Essequibo resumed on 72 without loss but failed to cope on the surface and lost their first four wickets as spinners Ashmead Nedd (4-58) and Man-of-the-Match Kevin (2-29) ripped through the top order.
Nathan Persaud (14) was removed by Sinclair who had danger man Paul for a first-ball duck to start the collapse as two wickets tumbled at 72.
Mark Williams added just two to his overnight 56 before he was caught behind off

Joshua Persaud turns one off his pads during his 49 for the U-17s at DCC yesterday.

Nedd who quickly got rid Satesh Latchana (3). When Akenie Adams (9) was run out at 97-5 and Essequibo were in dire straits and the demise of the batmen had little to do with the pitch.
Sachin Persaud (25) and Looknauth Chinkoo who reached the boundary five times in a gutsy 44 were the only other batsmen to past 15 as six batsmen failed to reach double figures.
With the U-17s being careful not give Essequibo any chance of winning Bashkar Yadram (16) and Joshua Persaud (49) added 42 before Yadram was caught at the wicket by off Chickoo before Alphius Bookie (4) was bowled by Adams at 55-5.
Sinclair and Persaud batted fluently on a track which had dried out nicely in the scorching heat. Sinclair hit nine fours and batted for 133 minutes for his cultured 59 before he was dismissed by the hard working Chinkoo.
Persaud played several classy shots in his 49 which lasted 119 minutes and included three sixes and a four, while Sagar Hatheramani blasted three sixes in a cameo unbeaten 24 and with was Nedd (10) when the declaration was made, finally leaving Essequibo to bat for an hour.
Chickoo (2-36) and Adams (2-35) were the best bowlers for Essequibo who opened with Paul and Williams (15), who was stumped off of Nedd at 50-1 in just five overs. Nathan Persaud was bowled by Sinclair for a duck at 67-2 but Paul, the West Indies under-19 Vice-Captain, launched a merciless attack on the bowlers on the small ground.
He raced to his 50 from just 23 balls and fell just six short of what would have been the fastest century at Inter-County U-19 three-day level when he was taken in the deep off Nedd as his team galloped to 123-3 from 14.3 overs to set up what could be a pulsating battle from tomorrow at Wales.