Guyana opener Travis Dowlin was in a class of his own yesterday and it was not one that the Combined Campuses and Colleges players were accustomed to.
The opener could have been teaching the subject Cricket- if such a course existed at the Univesirty of the West Indies -such was his commanding performance yesterday.
At the Stadium which earlier this year hosted World Cup cricket, Dowlin was almost world class as his authoritative maiden regional limited overs hundred guided hosts Guyana to a 99-run victory against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in their KFC Regional limited overs fixture played at the National Stadium yesterday.
Choosing to bat first on a flat batting wicket, Guyana, which played the same team that contested the first game against the Windward Islands at Albion on Tuesday, rattled up 279-8 on the back of Dowlin’s 119 (10×4, 4×6 from 149 balls) and Sewnarine Chattergoon’s 46 (6×4, 1×6 off 70 balls) who, together, posted 113 for the first wicket from 25.1 overs. The two batted and ran between the wickets with confidence as they frustrated the CCC bowlers punishing anything short or loose which was offered from the bowlers. They posted the 50 for Guyana in 7.1 overs and the 100 fourteen overs later. During this time, they were batting as though they were competing with each other, and Dowlin soon raced to his half century with an injudicious pull over midwicket off the bowling of leg-spinner Kanesh Kantasingh for six, after hitting the previous delivery gloriously through the cover region for four. His fifty took 59 balls and was decorated with seven fours and one six.
Not to be outdone, Chattergoon showed why he was worthy enough to play one limited overs match for the West Indies, when he calmly stroked Craig Emmanuel through the mid wicket region for a boundary much to the delight of the small crowd.
Dowlin, whose previous best score at this level was 75 against the Windward Islands, then opened up his shoulders to hit Rommel Currency over long on for six as the 100 came up for Guyana.
But Chattergoon soon lost his wicket via the lbw route as he played back to a flat, quicker delivery from Kantasingh and missed.
Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan entered the fray to rapturous applause and, together with Dowlin, added 79 for the second wicket from 13.1 overs.
Sarwan did not disappoint his small fan support, playing some exuberant shots during his brief stay at the wicket. One trademark square-cut through the point region off the bowling of Khismar Catlin sped away to the boundary with the speed of light. However, when he was well set for a big score, Sarwan backing away to gave himself room to play another cut shot off the bowling of the CCC captain Shirley Clarke, lost his middle stump in the process with the scoreboard reading 192-2 in the 39th over. His cameo innings of 38 came from 42 balls and included three fours.
Narsingh Deonarine and Dowlin added a further 58 from 35 balls before Deonarine was caught at the wicket by Chadwick Walton for 27. He struck three fours from the 22 balls that he faced but not before seeing Dowlin to his 100 which lasted 133 balls and included eight fours and three sixes. With the fall of Deonarine’s wicket, Guyana were 250-3 in the 46th over and in the hunt for quick runs, lost an additional five more wickets in the final four overs of their innings including Dowlin who was fourth out caught by Currency off Emmanuel for 119.
His innings lasted 149 balls and was decorated with 10 fours and four sixes as he went on the rampage against the opposition, even roughing up his countryman Ramnarine Chattergoon the younger brother of Sewnarine, hitting two fours and one six from what was eventually his final over.
Neil Mc Garrell struck one four from the six balls he face during his innings of eight. At the end of their 50 overs, Guyana were 279-8. Bennett led the bowling for CCC with 3-45 whilst Emmanuel 2-47 lent support. There was a wicket each for Kantasingh, Clarke and Catlin for 29, 32 and 37 runs respectively.
CCC’s Currency and Omar Philips opened the batting with Phillips looking to go after the bowlers. He seemed to be in a no nonsense mood and was seen constantly taking a few short steps down the wicket to Reon King and Esaun Crandon.
Crandon, who was still being troubled by the ‘flu’ bug, was to have none of it and removed Phillips as the batsman went back to a short delivery and failed to prevent the ball from trickling onto his stumps.
The openers had posted 37 for the first wicket from 7.1 overs.
Currency, who was given a life by substitute Leon Johnson at point when the CCC score was at 27 in the sixth over, was next to go as he was bowled through the gates by Mc Garrell attempting to hit the bowler over long off. He made 38 from 45 balls with four boundaries. Simon Jackson, Chadwick Walton, Ashley Nurse and Chattergoon were the only other batsmen to post double figure scores of 26, 24,16 and 37 not out respectively.
The CCC missed the experienced Floyd Reifer who did not play due to a hamstring injury he suffered recently, and failed to come to grips with the all spin attack employed by Sarwan, despite the fact Walton counted two sixes from the 33 balls he faced to compile his innings.
Mc Garrell, Nagamootoo and Deonarine led the bowling for Guyana with two wickets apiece for 23, 27 and 37 each whilst brothers Royston and Esaun Crandon each took a wicket for 27 and 38 respectively.
