Hooper bowls Upper Corentyne to strong position after day one September 8, 2016
By Rajiv Bisnauth
A DOMINATING display from the Upper Corentyne bowlers, especially off-spinner Eon Hooper, helped their team restrict Lower Corentyne to a nominal score in the first innings of their third-round game of the Jaguars Franchise League Three-day competition, yesterday, at the Port Mourant Cricket Club ground.The first innings of Lower Corentyne folded on 162 runs in 53.2 overs in just over an hour’s play in the middle session, with Hooper the main destroyer, claiming 5-18 off just 16.2 overs.
The Upper Corentyne spinners shared eight wickets between them, as they ensured their opponents were not let off the hook, after the 58-run opening stand between Kandasammy Surujnarine and Waheid Edwards.
Arif Chan, Shawn Pereira and Omesh Mathura were the other successful spinners with a wicket apiece, while pacer Keon Sinclair and Clinton Pestano, bowled decent line and lengths to claim the other two wickets.
Upper Corentyne closed the day with 29 runs short of their opponents’ first-innings total, after Lower Corentyne hit back with five wickets.
Chan (16) and Pereira (0) were at the crease when bails were lifted. It turned out to be a highly eventful day which saw as many as 15 wickets fall on a pitch that benefited the bowlers throughout the day.
Deciding to bat first, the Lower Corentyne openers got the team off to a solid start. Surujnarine, in particular played a couple of pleasing shots while Edwards looked in control as they added 58 runs in 12.5 overs.
However, they suffered a setback after that, as Sinclair removed Edwards for 17. The in-form Jonathan Foo joined Surujnarine, but after making a brisk 22, he was dismissed by Mathura. Gajanand Singh was the other batsman to be dismissed before lunch when he was caught and bowled off Chan for 20.
At the interval, Lower Corentyne progressed to 130-3, with Surujnarine on 60 and David Latchaya on two.
However, after the interval, Hooper broke the backbone of the Lower Corentyne’s batting, with Hooper foxing the batsmen with his variations.
He picked up the prized scalp of Surujnarine for 66, and then added Latchaya (2), Kassim Khan (0), Nail Smith (0) and last-man Raun Johnson (3) to his wicket column to choke Lower Corentyne to the small total. Surujnarine’s innings spanned 124 balls, with eight hits to the fence.
Pestano accounted for Devon Clements (7) while Pereira had the wicket of Sharaz Ramcharran for nine.
Jason Sinclair (17) and Andy Mohan (14), who replaced Assad Fudadin at the top of the order, added 23 before both openers were dismissed by Khan and Johnson respectively.
Upper Corentyne were then left gasping at a precarious 55-4 to allow their opponents to neutralise the advantage,
Pacer Smith had both Joshua Ramsammy (14) and Anthony Bramble without scoring.
However, Rajiv Ivan then launched a gutsy fightback much to the frustration of the Lower Corentyne players and supporters.
He stroked his way to 62 off 95 balls, inclusive of seven fours before he was dismissed by Clements just before the close of play.
Meanwhile, summarised scores from the other games are as follows:
At Cumberland, West Demerara were routed for 30, as Rishi Looknauth bagged 4-10, Romario Shephard had 3-11 and Raymon Reifer took 2-5 for West Demerara.
At the close, West Demerara were batting 276-5, with Reifer leading the way, smashing 119 off just 121 balls. Akshya Persaud scored 74 and Safraz Esau struck 53 off 41 balls. Leon Andrews has so far taken 2-55 bowling for West Berbice.
At Everest, play was called off at 12:32hrs due to rain. Essequibo won the toss and elected to bat. They reached 8-1, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Avinash Persaud on one not out each. Kevin Boodie was the batsman to be dismissed, lbw to Ryan Shun for five.
At Bourda, play between Georgetown and East Coast Demerara was called off without a ball being bowled.
