Georgetown beat West Dem to win DCB Inter-Association U-19 tournament

Unbeaten Georgetown emerged champions of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Inter-Association Under-19, 50-over tournament, defeating West Demerara in a top-of-the-table clash in the fifth and final round on Friday.

Playing at the Police Sports Club Ground, the Dave Mohabir-led city boys defeated West Demerara by seven wickets to lift the title in a tournament where they were hardly challenged.

Coming into the contest, Georgetown had already comfortably defeated East Bank by eight wickets, East Coast by 181 runs and Upper Demerara by 254 runs.

Chasing a target of 150 in the final round, Georgetown coasted to the target in 27.1 overs with Emmanuel Lewis ending on 50 not out off 53 balls (7x4s) and Shamar Apple unbeaten on five.

The foundation for victory was laid by an opening stand of 62 in 9.5 overs between Khush Seegobin and Kishawn Silas. Seegobin made a quick 47 off 27 (3x4s, 4x6s) and Silas 31 off 69 (2x4s).

Tashant Argyle (1-8), Amrit Persaud (1-15) and Navendra Sankar (1-41) were the wicket-takers for West Demerara.

Batting first, West Demerara slipped from a position of relative strength at 125-3 in the 33^rd over, losing their last seven wickets for just 24 runs.

Danvir Seegobin was the pick of the bowlers with 4-15 off five overs, while Lewis took 3-19 off 5.3 and his new-ball partner Shane Prince 2-56 off 10. Leg-spinner Reyaz Latif chipped in with 1-33 off 10.

Skipper Parmeshwar Ram topscored with 35 off 31 (6x4s), Argyle made 31 off 78 (1×4, 1×6) and Sankar 23 off 58 (1×4). Extras were 27.

In the other final round game, East Coast whipped Upper Demerara by nine wickets in a one-sided contest at the LBI Ground.

Opting to bat first, Upper Demerara managed 102 all from 22.3 overs, their first triple figure score in the tournament. The total was built around a fifth-wicket partnership of 54 between Nathan Bishop and Tyric Henry, who mixed aggression with calculated running.

Bishop made a brisk 33 off 35 (2x4s, 2x6s) and Henry struck three sixes and a four in a quick 25 off 19. Opener Alex Ragubeer was the only batter into double figure with 10, while extras were 15.

Bowling for East Coast, skipper Arun Gainda continued his fine form, taking 4-20 with his left-arm spin to end the competition with 13 wickets, the most overall.

Lively left-arm seamer Vijai Kalpu took 2-14, leg-spinner Kaylon Callendar 2-23, seamer Kyle Gibson 1-8 and off-spinner Munesh Outar 1-30.

In reply, East Coast blazed to victory in a mere nine overs, with the in-form opener Yannick Newton blasting an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls (7x4s, 2x6s).

Newton dominated an opening stand of 41 in 2.1 overs with Trilok Nanan, who made four, as he belted seamer Errol Alder for five fours and two sixes in the second over, which went for 35 runs, inclusive of two wides and a no-ball.

Newton and Outar then closed out the game with an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 63, with the left-handed Outar making a solid 32 not out off 23 (5x4s, 1×6).

Seamer Ragubeer (1-40) was the lone wicket-taker for Upper Demerara, who lost all four of their games. East Coast ended second behind Georgetown with an impressive run of three wins and a solitary defeat.

Tournament round-up