Guyana whip Windwards to earn second place
From Frederick Halley at Albion
Guyana Chronicle
March 18, 2003

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GUYANA defeated the Windward Islands by 73 runs at the Albion Community Development Centre ground yesterday to secure second place in the inaugural Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series tournament and a chance to host one of the semifinals in the Carib International Shield competition.

Set 267 for victory after Guyana declared their second innings on 161 for five at lunch, the Windwards were routed for 193 with 12.1 of the 15 mandatory overs remaining.

The victory took Guyana to 48 points, 24 behind runaway winners Barbados. Jamaica, who are also assured of a semifinal place end the tournament with 43 points, the same as Trinidad and Tobago. India A are on 33 but will advance to 45 if they beat West Indies B outright in their rescheduled fixture.

Should this happen, Trinidad and Tobago will automatically be out of the semifinals by virtue of losing to Jamaica.

Apart from Darren Sammy who hit a fine 53, Romel Currency 46 and skipper Rawl Lewis 45, the rest of the Windwards batting folded to the Guyana pace/spin attack with leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo finishing with three for 58 and fast bowler Esuan Crandon three for 59.

In contrast to Sunday when the Guyanese seemed resigned to their first innings lead, there was far more urgency yesterday after the players realised that only an outright victory will suffice once India A got past the strong Jamaican line-up.

The Windwards never recovered after losing opener Devon Smith for his second nought of the match, caught off the third ball of the innings off fast bowler Rayon Griffith who also had him bowled off the second ball in the first innings. Smith had started the match with 572 runs but failed to make an impression here, lofting a simple catch to Krishna Arjune at mid-on.

The impressive Griffith also got rid of Kirsten Casimir (two), caught flashing at a delivery and edging a catch to wicketkeeper Vishal Nagamootoo with the score on 21.

Currency, in the meantime was taking the fight to the Guyana pace attack, straight-driving fast bowler Crandon elegantly for four and easing him, through the offside for effortless fours.

Crandon however got his revenge when Crandon, who was switched from to the northern end, enticed him into edging a catch to wicketkeeper Nagamootoo.

His cameo 43 included seven fours in 66 minutes off 51 balls. Guyana claimed their fourth wicket when the adventurous John Eugene (19) was snapped up at slip by Shivnarine Chanderpaul at 70 for four.

Still hunting for an outright victory, Junior Murray started out boldly by smashing Crandon through the covers for four but succumbed for eight, pushing forward to Nagamootoo to be caught by Sewnarine Chattergoon at silly mid-off at 85 for five.

At tea, the Windwards were 98 for five with first innings centurion Rawl Lewis on 15 and Darren Sammy seven.

Still fancying their chances of recording a come-from-behind win, the Windwards pair of Lewis and Sammy continued to attack. Guyana should however have gotten rid of Sammy shortly after the resumption but Nagamootoo failed to hold on to a return catch with the score on 105 and eventual top-scorer Sammy on 10.

The tall Sammy was forced to retire hurt on 20 after hurting his shoulder.

Sammy’s replacement, Orlando Jackson, stuck around for a while, adding 23 with his captain, before losing his middle stump as he attempted to sweep left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell.

It was soon 150 for seven when Deighton Butler was trapped lbw by McGarrell from a delivery that kept appreciably low.

Guyana finally got the wicket of Lewis for the first time in the match when the Windwards skipper, playing across to a full-length delivery from Crandon, was plumb lbw for 45 to follow on his unbeaten 117 in the first innings. His innings included two fours and a six in 111 minutes off 97 balls.

It was virtually all over then but not before Sammy, who returned at the fall of Butler’s wicket, completed his maiden first class half-century. On the way, he lost Thomas, lbw to Nagamootoo for one.

Sammy was then brilliantly taken by Travis Dowlin at mid-off off Nagamootoo, as the Guyanese players gleefully celebrated their semifinal entry. Sammy’s knock included eight sparkling fours in 75 minutes off 70 balls.

Earlier, the pre-lunch session saw Guyana scoring 134 runs, by far their best effort in any of the other sessions as the batsmen, led by first innings centurion and man-of-the-match Chanderpaul, with a quick-fire 47, went for quick runs.

Resuming at 27 without loss, Guyana lost opener Azeemul Haniff (20) with the score on 39. The left-hander failed to beat a direct throw from Jackson at backward point, as he attempted a sharp single.

Krishna Arjune announced his presence with a huge six over long-off off fast bowler Fernix Thomas and along with Sewnarine Chattergoon upped the tempo, the two adding 50 before Chattergoon (35) was caught at short mid-wicket by Devon Smith off leg-spinner Lewis.

Arjune (30), was caught at long-on by Butler off Lewis at 90 for three, while Andre Percival (0) was caught at short mid-wicket by Lewis off Jackson on the same score.

This set the stage for an unbeaten 71-run sixth wicket partnership in just 44 minutes between Chanderpaul (47) and Dowlin (25 not out). It ended on the final delivery before lunch when Chanderpaul, who hit four fours and a six in 51 minutes off 42 balls, was stumped off Jackson.

Guyana had declared at lunch, setting the Windwards 267 for victory in the available 45 overs plus the mandatory 15.

GUYANA first innings 412 (S. Chanderpaul 145, A. Haniff 54, M. Nagamootoo 44, K. Arjune 41; K. Peters three for 57)

Windward Islands first innings 307 (R. Lewis 117 not out, J. Murray 67, K. Casimir 43; R. Griffith four for 75)

GUYANA second innings

A. Haniff run-out 20

S. Chattergoon c Smith b Lewis 35

K. Arjune c Butler b Lewis 30

S. Chanderpaul stp. wkpr Murray b Jackson 47

A. Percival c Lewis b Jackson 0

T. Dowlin not out 25

Extras: (b-1, lb-2, w-1) 4

Total (for five wickets declared) 161

Fall of wickets: 39, 89, 90, 90, 161.

Bowling: Thomas 9-1-32-0 (w-1), Peters 8-3-18-0, Sammy 2-1-3-0, Jackson 14-2-56-2, Lewis 11-0-49-2

WINDWARD ISLANDS second innings

D. Smith c Arjune b Griffith 0

R. Currency c wkpr Nagamootoo b Crandon 43

K. Casimir c wkpr Nagamootoo b Griffith 2

J. Eugene c Chanderpaul b Crandon 19

J. Murray c Chattergoon b Nagamootoo 8

R. Lewis lbw Crandon 45

D. Sammy c Dowlin b Nagamootoo 53

O. Jackson b McGarrell 8

D. Butler lbw McGarrell 2

F. Thomas lbw Nagamootoo 1

K. Peters not out 0

Extras: (b-4, lb-3, w-2, nb-3) 12

Total: (all out, 47.5 overs) 193

Fall of wickets: 0, 21, 63, 70, 85, 148, 150, 164,

184, 193.

Bowling: Griffith 10-2-37-2 (w-1), Crandon 13-1-59-3 (nb-2), Nagamootoo 14.5-1-58-3 (nb-1), McGarrell 10-1-32-2 (w-1).

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