It is not every day that a schoolboy gets to play a first-class cricket match in front of his class-mates.
Yesterday was such a day. Students from the Corentyne Comprehensive High School in Berbice, turned out in their numbers yesterday to cheer on classmate Veerasammy Permaul who, in his first season for Guyana was playing his first game at home.
The youngster did not disappoint his class-mates. He struck with his first ball yesterday which bamboozled seasoned campaigner Omari Banks, a player good enough to represent the West Indies, and who was well set on 50, forcing him to edge a delivery to wicket-keeper Derwin Christian.
Permaul was not done yet. He added the wickets of Jason Williams and Lionel Baker to end with 3-43 off 23 overs as the Leewards capitulated from 191-3 to 244 all out.
At the close of an absorbing day’s play Guyana, set 237 for an outright win, were 121-3 with Azeemul Haniff not out on 19 and West Indies vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan on 13 not out.
Resuming on their overnight score of 149-3 with skipper Sylvester Joseph and Banks not out on 50 and 26 respectively the pair took their third wicket stand to 106 before Guyana got the breakthrough in the form of the prized wicket of the Leeward Islands’ captain.
Joseph had begun well. He pulled pacer Jeremy Gordon for two consecutive fours to the backward square fence in one over and then slammed a short ball from the same bowler to the midwicket fence.
Gordon, who sent down an impressive spell, was to eventually get his man. Two balls later Joseph, on 79, chased a delivery outside the off stump got an edge and wicket-keeper Christian took a comfortable catch.
It was to prove a crucial dismissal.
Joseph’s innings included nine fours and one six in 147 minutes from 149 balls and the Leewards were 191 for four.
Three runs later Sarwan dropped a regulation catch at first slip from Banks off Gordon when the batsman was on 41.
Banks subsequently brought up his half century which contained four boundaries with a push to mid-off.
The lanky all-rounder then edged Permaul’s first delivery of the day to Christian with no addition to his score leaving the visitors 208 for five.
Mahendra Nagamootoo, flighting the ball beautifully, then trapped Willet leg-before for ten as he played back to a googly which made the score 216 for six while Williams was next to go in the same fashion but off Permaul for three and the players trooped off to lunch with the score 220 for seven and Chaka Hodge on three.
Permaul continued his unfinished over after lunch and immediately bowled new batsman Lionel Baker for a duck to make it 220 for eight.
Hodge, backing up too far down the wicket, was run out by Permaul five runs later while Narsingh Deonarine, brought into the attack, promptly bowled Jeremy for eight to end the innings on 244 leaving Adam Sanford not out on 13.
Rain came at the end of the visitor’s innings, and 22 minutes was lost before Guyana began their second innings needing 237 to win.
Royston Crandon started out like a house on fire taking three fours off Baker but with the score on 34, a delivery from Jeremy kept very low and he was bowled for 19. Tea was taken at the fall of Crandon’s wicket.
Two runs after the fifty came up Sewnarine Chattergoon who was on 20 left a Sandford delivery outside the off stump only to see it nip back and dislodge the bails.
Travis Dowlin was severe on Omari Banks taking three fours and a two off an over that also included four byes.
He then drove Sanford sweetly to the extra cover fence to take Guyana to 102 but was trapped leg-before in the same over for 38.
Guyana captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, gave the simplest of catches to his opposite number Joseph at short extra cover before he came off the mark but apparently Joseph started to celebrate too soon and dropped it.
The match concludes today and barring rain is heading for an outright result.