West Demerara steals two-run victory over East Coast
West Demerara recorded its first win of the Demerara Cricket Board’s U-17 Inter Association competition with an incredible two-run win over East Coast yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
Batting first after winning the toss, West Demerara were restricted to 110 all out in 41.2 overs despite Andre Seepersaud’s 29 and Nicholas Rajpat’s 13.
Some 37 extras helped West Demerara’s cause.
East Coast’s skipper, Andrew Samaroo was the pick of the bowlers with 319 while Travon Charles (2-24) and Aaron Beharry (2-12) supported well.
Chasing the megare total, East Coast plunged to 12-3 at lunch with Joshua Reddy running through the top order.
He removed Alexander Persaud (02) and Mark Ramanad (01) both trapped LBW and danger man Hemnauth Dindyal (04), caught behind to leave East Coast reeling after only nine overs of play.
When play resumed, Reddy suffered an injury to his knee that forced him out of the game and in his absence, Samaroo and Elnathan Suhkanand combined to fend off the bowling attack adding 32 runs for the fourth wicket.
However, after Samaroo departed for 13, East Coast lost wickets in quick succession with Usarrdiva Balgobin taking three wickets and Seepersaud two in one over to leave East Coast 47-8 after just 19 overs.
Charles and Beharry then combined for a 60-run partnership that seemed to be leading East Coast to an almost certain win.
Beharry smashed the first delivery he received for a six and the third for a four.
There was to be however, yet another twist to the tale when Charles, looking to heave a delivery from Balgobin over his head, was bowled for 23 with East Coast a mere four runs away from victory. Keion McKenzie joined Beharry, added two runs, and then swung wildly at a delivery and was caught behind, leaving Beharry stranded on 22. Reddy with 3-6, Balgobin 3-33 and Seepersaud 2-11 were the principal wicket takers.