By Calvin Roberts@ Pine Basin, WildeySt. Michael, Barbados
Compliments of Smalta, Cummings Electrical, Lifetime Realty, P&P Insurance, Cellular Plus and Hanes (Guyana) Limited
Contrasting innings from Jonathan Foo 87 (7×4, 2×6, 65 balls) and Trevon Griffith 81 (3×4; 1×6 95 balls) ably supported by Seon Hetymyer (50) and Royan Fredericks 22, guided Guyana to a 76-run victory over the Leeward Islands in their first game of the West indies Cricket Board (WICB)/TCL sponsored 2008 limited overs competition at the Pine Basin, Wildey, St. Michael, yesterday.
Winning the toss and opting to take first strike, the Guyanese made 302-9 from their 50 overs with Kenroy David and Jurnell Turner claiming three wickets each for 54 and 58 runs respectively.
They then dismissed their opponents for 226 from 48.2 overs.
Scores: Guyana 302-9 50 overs, Leeward Islands 226 48.2 overs.
Guyana got off to a flyer with Griffith and Fredericks posting 48 for the first wicket before Fredericks was caught by Sherwin Peters off the Adelvin Phillipip for 22 (3×4;1×6).
He had set the tone for a big total when he got a free hit from Phillip and duly dispatched it over point for four and followed that up with another boundary over cover that pushed Guyana to 17-0 after two overs.
The in-form Seon Hetmyer helped add 101 for the second wicket with Griffith in a partnership that was based on ones and twos with the odd boundary.
The 100 was posted after the water break when Griffith struck Kadeem Phillip over midwicket for four which also raised his 50 from the 54th ball he faced.
He had struck three fours and one six in getting there and, the pair continued to frustrate their opponents especially with their running between the wickets. Hetmyer then reached his 50 when he hit his 80th delivery from Tevin Osborne over mid on for four.
He was however caught and bowled by Turner in the next over when he attempted to go over the top. Foo joined Griffith with the score 149-2 and they added 30 runs in quick time before Griffith who showed signs of exhaustion during his innings was dismissed in similar fashion like Hetmyer with Turner being the bowler.
Foo continued to carry the attack to the Leeward Islands despite the dismissal of Dillon Heyliger who was adjudged lbw to Turner two balls after Griffith’s demise without scoring. Foo reached his 50 by turning his 37th delivery from Adelvin Phillip to backward square for a single.
He counted five fours and one six in reaching the landmark. He then added 96 runs for the sixth wicket with his captain, Eugene La Fleur, who made 30.
Despite losing qickets at regular intervals Guyana still managed to score 100 runs from the last 11 overs to reach 302-9 at the end of their 50 overs.
Turner and David received support from captain Kieron Powell who prised out two batsmen for 14 runs.
Needing to score at just over six runs an over, the Leeward Islands openers Powell and Kjel Tyson, posted 46 runs from a six overs.
Powell was eventually caught by Heyliger at backward square leg off Keon Joseph for a whirlwind 27 (4×4; 1×6) from 26 balls.
It was soon 79-3 when Tyson (22; 3×4) was caught by Fraser off Heyliger, while Kadeem Phillip (17; 3×4) who, after surviving three successive lbw shouts from Joseph, was given out on the fourth. Peters joined David but the former did not hang around long enough to cause the Guyanese any problems as he was caught by La Fleur at short cover off Heyliger at 102-4 and when David was caught by wicket keeper Anthony Bramble off La Fleur, half of the Leeward Islands batting were in the cool shade of the pavilion for 113 runs in the 17th over.
Sherwin Burns and Jamal Hamilton (43) went about operation rebuild cautiously, but they could not achieve the task as Burns was run out by Royston Alkins when he turned a delivery from Herman Latcha to backward square and was sent back.
The lower order was held together by Hamilton and Adelvin Phillip who struck a six and a four in 36 as a further 77 runs materialized from the remaining batsmen before Phillip was the last man out in the 49th over.
Fredericks was the pick of the bowlers with 3-22 while Joseph with 3-55 and Heyliger 2-22 offered support. La Fleur chipped in with 1-22 while Latcha bowled a tidy line and length and conceded a mere 16 runs from his 10 overs.
Today is a rest day for Guyana, but the Leeward Islands will face up with Trinidad and Tobago at the Combemere Secondary School ground.
Guyana will be back in action on Friday when they oppose Trinidad at Queen’s Park.
