Barbados continued their dominance of Guyana by securing a comfortable six-wicket win in the final round of the KFC Cup regional one day tournament played at the Georgetown Cricket Club, Bourda, yesterday.
A disappointed crowd of over six thousand watched the home team go down in defeat after scoring an inadequate 241-8 in their allotted 48 overs.
A 20-minute shower a little after nine in the morning caused a 30-minute delay which resulted in a two-over reduction per team.
Skipper Ryan Hinds was awarded the man-of the-match trophy for his all-round performance. He bowled 10 overs for 34 runs and took one wicket, then returned to score an unbeaten 34.
Inserted to bat after the Bajans won the toss, Guyana was fortunate in the fourth over when Royston Crandon was dropped by Floyd Reifer at first slip off Edwards.
Chattergoon drove Corey Collymore sweetly to the long off fence for four then nicked the next delivery to wicket keeper Carlo Morris. He departed for 15 with the score 34-1.
Crandon fought through his early jitters and in the tenth over took 14 off the bowling of Dwayne Smith including a six over backward square.
Smith then trapped Dowlin leg-before for 18 before Crandon was caught by Richards off Collymore for 42. He struck four boundaries and one six in his 59-ball innings.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul came to the wicket with the crowd roaring and the score 130-3. Skipper Narsingh Deonarine was batting well and Guyana was scoring five runs an over when Deonarine lofted Hinds high to long off, only to see Fidel Edwards take a great running catch. He faced 41 balls and struck five fours. Assad Fudadin and Dion Ferrier scored eight and 14 respectively leaving Guyana 178-6.
Derwin Christian lofted Hinds over long on to bring up the 200 in 41.2 overs. He was looking ready for a decent score when he was needlessly run out for 19.
Chanderpaul playing a quiet innings, kept the crowd in suspense, as they waited for him to accelerate the scoring. He did not hit a boundary until the last over when he drove Sulieman Benn through mid off for four and hit the next ball over long off for six to bring up his fifty.
The visitors started the run chase in fine style, as Dale Richards and Wayne Blackman put on 67 in 14 overs before Blackman tried to heave Dion Ferrier over mid wicket, missed and was out leg-before for 25.
Dwayne Smith, and Richards was starting to look ominous when Richards was run out in a terrible mix up after striking seven fours for a 55-ball 44 runs.
Smith known for his big hitting had a rather sedate start facing 31 balls and scoring eight runs before hitting a boundary; he hit Ferrier on to the top of the Lance Gibbs stand to bring up the 100 in the 23rd over.
Smith continued to bat with improved shot selection. He heralded his fifty with a straight drive off Nagamootoo that scorched the turf on the way to the long off fence.
In the same over, he lost his restraint trying to lift Nagamootoo over long off, and Fudadin took a great catch on the boundary.
Alcindo Holder took a six off Nagamootoo to take Barbados to 200-4 after 40 overs, as he and Hinds took the visitors to a comfortable win.
Despite the lack-lustre performance by Guyana, they were fortunate when Jamaica lost to Trinidad and Windwards defeated Leewards. Guyana ended tied with Jamaica, but advances to the final four slated for February 15 and 16 in St Vincent, because of the head to head victory over Jamaica in the third round.