COUVA, Trinidad, CMC – Pacer Esaun Crandon snatched a five-wicket haul to send the Leeward Islands crashing cheaply but Guyana stumbled in reply, leaving their sixth round WICB regional first class championship match evenly balanced after day one yesterday.
The right-armer bagged five for 39 as the inconsistent Leewards were dismissed for 192 but Guyana lost two wickets to be 45 for two at the close at the National Cricket Centre.
Crandon received admirable support from leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo who picked up three for 63.
Only all-rounder Omari Banks (60), Kieran Powell (33), Jahmar Hamilton (30) and Gavin Williams (28) offered resistance against the probing spin and pace attack employed by skipper Sewnarine Chattergoon.
The youthful Guyanese team lost their captain early but Gajanand Singh stroked an unbeaten 27 to prevent any further damage.
Leewards, who lost Mali Richards and Lionel Baker to illness before the start, won the toss and opted to bat, and the pair of Montcin Hodge and Powell posted 36 for the first wicket without alarm.
Immediately after the first water break, the partnership was broken when Hodge (8) was stumped by wicketkeeper Derwin Christian off off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed.
Leewards then quickly slipped to 44 for three when Powell and out-of-form captain Steve Liburd fell in the space of two balls.
The left-handed Powell was caught by wicketkeeper Christian off Crandon for 33 after striking six fours off 42 balls while Liburd fell to a catch at square-leg by Bishoo off Crandon, to the first ball he faced.
Banks, who hit three fours in an innings spanning 185 and 148 balls, survived the hattrick ball and in tandem with Williams added 50 for the fourth wicket to revive the innings as the Leewards reached 63 for three at the lunch interval.
At 94, Williams was well caught by Assad Fudadin at extra cover off Bishoo and vice-captain Wilden Cornwall did not last long, brilliantly caught and bowled by Bishoo for nine at 117 for five.
Dennison Browne (6) became Bishoo’s third victim as the Leewards stumbled to 125 for six but a 51-run, seventh wicket partnership between Banks and Hamilton saved Leewards embarrassment.
When Banks was dismissed to a catch at square-leg by Fudadin off Crandon at 176 for seven, the innings ended swiftly as the last three wickets tumbled cheaply.
Guyana quickly lost Chattergoon caught at second slip by Powell off Brent Defreitas for four with the total on nine while Rajindra Chandrika (2) was run out from a direct hit by Cornwall at back-ward point, to leave the Guyanese in a spot of bother.
