GCB/CGI 3-Day Franchise League…Yardarm’s explosive ton brightens dull final day at Lusignan

Sep 18, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...nal-day-at-lusignan/

By Sean Devers

An explosive shot-filled century from the pugnacious 17-year-old West Indies U-19 opener Bhaskar Yadram brightened a dull day at Lusignan yesterday as East Coast needing 300 for an improbable win against Georgetown, reached 191-2 with one of the 15 mandatory overs remaining on the rain affected final day of their third round GCB/CGI three-day Franchise League game.
After a 14:30hrs inspection it was decided to commence play 14:50hrs with a minimum of 33 overs to be bowled before the mandatory 15 began in the final hour.
Yadram, who made his First-Class debut at Providence last April against the Leeward Islands, finished unbeaten on 108 with five fours and six sixes and shared in a 151-run third wicket partnership with 24-year-old Chanderpaul Hemraj, who slammed an unfinished 54 decorated with three sixes and four fours.
Scores: Georgetown 192 & 244-9 declared, East Coast 136& 192-2.
Former Guyana U-19 Skipper Sattaur holds the record for the fastest first division two innings century in Guyana when he blasted 21 sixes in 179 for DCC against GYO and after reaching his century in 10 overs, Chandrika has played five Tests, Hemraj, has played seven First-Class matches for Guyana and Yadram, was the Man-of-the series in both South Africa and Zimbabwe when the West Indies U-19s toured there, were all in the East Coast line-up yesterday.
However, Chris Barnwell’s men would have thought that it would have been very difficult for the hosts to survive the entire last day on a deteriorating track which has played ‘up and down’ throughout this match, much less score 300 runs in a day to win and the City Franchise, who will have the services of Test batsman and Guyana Captain Leon Johnson from the next round, were confident of getting ‘full points’ and improving their fourth place standing.
The sight of covers on the pitch for most of the day was as depressing as the mountain of mangled vehicles just beyond the Eastern boundary of the ground.
A small gathering watched as East Coast, now almost assured of a draw due to the time lost, began shakily losing Chandrika (11), caught and bowled by Pacer Paul Wintz at 21-1, while Sattaur (17) was removed by Jamaican leg-spinner Ramaal Lewis 42-2 at and at that stage an unlikely win seemed not so unlikely.

But Hemraj was in a no-nonsense mood and climbed into the bowlers with raw savagery and flayed the bowling to all parts of the Lusignan ground to start the acceleration as the left-handed pair went after the big target with positive intent with Yadram being the more dominant of the two once got settled and it was the adverse weather that probably save the City Franchise.
The two previous games at this venue were completed inside two days, a recurring occurrence in the early rounds of this year’s tournament which suggests that the standard of the pitches are not what they should but more importantly that the batsman lacks the mental fortitude to bat long and build big scores without giving their wickets away.
Georgetown, with the draw, moves to third place just below West Demerara (2nd), while Essequibo maintains a slim lead at the top.
The fourth round is scheduled for Friday with Lower Corentyne playing East Bank at Cumberland, Upper Corentyne battling West Demerara at Port Mourant, West Berbice facing East Coast at Bush Lot and Georgetown opposing Essequibo with this game being tentatively set for Bourda.

The sight of the covers on the pitch for most of the day was as depressing as the mangled Vehicles just beyond the Eastern boundary. (Sean Devers photo)