The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Select XI stunned Essequibo by four wickets in Round Two of the GCB Senior Inter-County 50-over Championship at the Lusignan ground on Tuesday.
The Select XI successfully chased down a target of 170 with four overs to spare with former national youth player Carlos LaRose anchoring the chase with 28 not out off 44 balls (5x4s).
LaRose kept his composure to steer his side to victory after the game was seemingly in the balance at 114-5 in the 33rd over.
LaRose forged a sixth-wicket partnership of 31 with Kwesi Mickle and an unbroken stand of 26 with Aryan Persaud (six not out) to see his team over the line.
Skipper Jonathan Rampersaud made 32 off 37 (2x4s, 1×6), opener Navindra Persaud 26 off 62 (3x4s), Mickle 19 off 24 (1×4, 1×6) and Jonathan Van Lange 18 off 32 (1×6) in a total team effort, as Ricardo Adams took two wickets.
Earlier, Essequibo, who defeated Berbice in the first round at the Pomona ground, slipped from 59-2 to be bowled out for 169 in the 46th over.
National player Kemol Savory topscored with 51 off 109 (2x4s), Kevon Boodie made 26 off 24 (2x4s, 2x6s) and Ricardo Adams 24 off 18 (1×4, 2x6s).
Bowling for the Select XI, Golcharran Chulai took 3-45, while there were two wickets each for Rampersaud, Persaud and Mickle.
In the other second round game, Demerara defeated Berbice by seven wickets at the GCC ground, Bourda.
SUMMARY: Berbice 129 all out from 40 overs (Junior Sinclair 37, Tomani Caesar 24*; Devon Lord 4-28, Akshaya Persaud 2-19, Banerd Bailey 2-25, Ronaldo Alimohamed 2-35) vs Demerara 130-3 from 28 overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 63*, Matthew Nandu 44; Clinton Pestano 1-14, Junior Sinclair 1-14)
Third round action is slated for Thursday (October 17) with Demerara against Essequibo at GCC and Berbice against the Select XI at Lusignan.
The top two teams will clash in the final on Saturday (October 19) at GCC.
All games will start at 09:30h.
