Sinclairs help Berbice beat GCB Select X1 by 7 wickets

ON a day blessed with glorious sunshine and on a dry pitch at the

Lusignan Ground on the East Coast of Demerara, Berbice, led

by a 5-for from  Junior Sinclair and an unbeaten 74 from West

Indies batting all-rounder Kevin Sinclair, beat the GCB Select

X1 by seven wickets yesterday.

Scores: Select X1 (139 all out in 37.3 overs, Berbice (140-3 in

29.1)

The Select X1 batted first with a strong breeze blowing from

the Atlantic Ocean and were quickly 38-5.

Rampersaud Ramnauth (6) tried to flick pacer Clifton Pestano

and was taken at mid-off, at 14-1 in the third over.

Nial Smith bowled Brandon Jaikarran (1), leaving the score on

15-2, before Junior Sinclair removed Romeo Deonarain (13)

at 27-3.

Junior Sinclair got rid of Akshaya Persaud (5) a run later

before Afraz Budhoo (5) was taken by Kevin Sinclair off his

unrelated namesake Junior at 38-5.

Kwesi Mickle and Jayden Dowlin shared in a 47-run sixth

wicket with sensible batting before Dowlin (14) and Ronaldo

Jeffery, who hails from Bartica, both fell to Junior Sinclair to

give the first five-wicket haul in the tournament.

Joshua Jones, who recently returned from a successful debut

season in England, joined Mickle at 89-7.

Mickle played some good shots on the slightly rough outfield

and reached the boundary four times and cleared it once off

a free hit.

Mickel (49) edged Zeynul Ramsammy to slip at 112-8.

Pestano struck with his first delivery of a new spell when he

trapped Jones LBW, after hitting two sixes in 16.

Jones’ demise at 138 brought the last pair together, but

Ramsammy removed Nityanand Mathura (15) to finish off

the innings.

Kevin Sinclair took 5-25 from 10 consecutive overs. He got

support from Pestano and Ramsammy, who had two wickets

each.

Set 140 to win, Berbice lost Adrian Sukwah (6) at 25-1 before

Jones, who bowled impressively, removed Rampertab

Rampersaud (9) to leave Berbice on 27-2.

Tomanni Caesar (13) and Kevin Sinclair brought up the 50 in

the 14th over before off-spinner Mathura removed Caesar 54-

3.

That was to be the last success for the Select X1 as

Ramsammy joined the well-entrenched Sinclair, who struck

four fours and three sixes in his 63-ball unbeaten 74 to

surpass Matthew Nandu’s 73 against Essequibo in Essequibo

on Saturday.

Ramsammy finished undefeated on 23 as the pair added 86

in an unfinished fourth-wicket stand.

The action will continue tomorrow at Enmore when

defending Champions Demerara face off with the Select X1.