-But B/dos complete 58-run victory
By Marlon Munroe
Half centuries from West Indies middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Zaheer Mohammed spared Guyana’s blushes but Barbados completed a 58-run win over the homesters at the  Albion Community Development Centre ground yesterday.

Barbados were in control throughout the four-day encounter and continued where they left off the previous day reducing Guyana to 85-6 before Chanderpaul and Mohammed staged a rearguard fightback.

Chanderpaul, who made 77, and Mohamed, who ended on an unbeaten 58, changed the complexion of the game and at one stage the locals were harbouring thoughts of a remarkable come-from-behind win.

However, this was not to be as Guyana was eventually dismissed for 270 from 74.4 overs after a stubborn 36-run last wicket stand between Mohamed and Brandon Bess (20).

It was the third successive outright defeat for the locals this season following a draw in their opening game against Trinidad and they remain in the cellar position on seven points.

Right arm pacer Kevin Stoute, bowling a vicious spell in 5.4 overs, picked up the last three wickets yesterday to end with 3-15 inclusive of the scalp of Chanderpaul.

Corey Edwards and Sulieman Benn ended with 2-48 (16) and 2-58 (22) respectively while Tino Best and Pedro Collins finished with one wicket apiece.

Best was named man of the match.

Earlier, Guyana resuming on 59-3 quickly lost overnight batsman Royston Crandon without any addition to the total and his score.

Two more wickets fell in quick succession but wicketkeeper Derwin Christian came out and blasted two sixes and a four in his 53-minute innings of 28.

However, just before lunch he got a thin edge to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, who ended with three dismissals.

His dismissal brought Mohammed to the crease and he and Chanderpaul took the score from 137-7 to 158-7 at lunch.

Chanderpaul and Mohammed kept the scoreboard ticking over while the odd boundary was welcomed by the sprinkling of spectators who started rallying behind the two.

Benn, who had settled into a good rhythm, was unnerved when he was swept twice by Chanderpaul through backward square. Chanderpaul brought up his half century by elegantly caressing a delivery for four after facing 93 balls and hitting five fours in 135 minutes.

The two brought up the team’s 200 in 55.4 overs but the introduction of Stoute who found an early rhythm and worked up some good pace on the flat wicket caused the breakthrough.

Stoute got a delivery to lift which Chanderpaul edged to Dowrich. He batted for 189 minutes, faced 134 balls  and struck nine fours.

Shortly after Mohammed brought his 50 in 99 balls with  10 fours.

However, Stoute struck again when he uprooted Veerasammy Permaul’s off stump.

Bess delayed the inevitable for a while but finally edged a delivery to Dale Richards at second slip who took it comfortably to end Guyana’s fight back.