COUVA, Trinidad, CMC – Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s 52nd first-class hundred put things in train, and purposeful bowling put Guyana on the verge of their first win in the last three seasons in the WICB regional first-class championship yesterday.
Chanderpaul completed a typically resolute, undefeated 105, as Guyana were dismissed for 287, replying to Leewards’ first innings total of 192 in the first hour on the third day of the sixth round match at the National Cricket Centre.
Leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo then captured four wickets for 46 runs from 20.2 overs, Esuan Crandon snared three for 34 from 14 overs, and Veerasammy Permaul took two for 54 from 17 overs, as Leewards were dismissed for 192 in their second innings about 20 minutes after tea.
The Guyanese, chasing a modest victory target of 98, nervously slipped to 49 for three at the close.
Guyana have not won a regional first-class match, since they conquered the same opponents by three wickets three years ago at Albion.
In the search for their first victory in 23 matches, Guyana wobbled early, when Rajendra Chandrika was caught behind off Brent Defreitas for a duck, their captain Sewnarine Chattergoon was adjudged lbw for nine off Wilden Cornwall, and Gajanand Singh was caught close to the wicket off Defreitas for 26.
Chanderpaul was not out on seven and Assad Fudadin was not out on one at stumps, and will be looking to firmly put the Guyanese on track for a monumental victory.
Defreitas has so far taken two for 28 from six overs.
Chanderpaul had earlier underlined his reputation as one of the World’s top batsmen, and given them a real chance of breaking the drought.
He reached his landmark from 266 balls with the 10th of his 11 boundaries – a spanking cover drive off Defreitas – in the morning session.
It was the 14th regional first-class hundred for Chanderpaul, who is playing in only his second match, following his return from a thumb injury he sustained in last December’s Test series in Australia.
After Guyana resumed from their overnight total of 266 for nine, Chanderpaul added a further 21 with Brandon Bess, who was caught at mid-on off Cornwall for 10 to bring his side’s innings to a close.
Anthony Martin was the pick of the Leewards’ bowlers with four for 55 from 30 overs.
Chanderpaul batted for 352 minutes and faced 270 balls.
The Leewards in an effort to erase their arrears started at a brisk pace, but they ran into trouble on 66 for three at lunch, and bounced back to reach 164 for five at tea, before the bottom half of their batting collapsed to Bishoo.
Omari Banks led the way with 49, Wilden Cornwall made 46, Montcin Hodge scored 29, and Kieran Powell got 21.
Hodge shared 56 for the first wicket with Powell before he was run out, and trigged a slide that saw Gavin Williams caught at first slip off Permaul, who also bowled Powell on the stroke of lunch.
After the interval, Banks led the Leewards’ bid to dig themselves out of a hole. He put on 32 with his captain Steve Liburd, and added a valuable 65 for the fifth wicket with Cornwall.
Liburd became Bishoo’s first scalp, when he was caught at square leg for 16, and Banks was trapped lbw to Crandon just before tea, after an innings that included three fours and one six from 98 balls in just under two hours.
After the break, Crandon removed Cornwall, and Bishoo dealt with Jahmar Hamilton, Dennison Browne, and Justin Athanaze.
Crandon then brought the innings to a close, when he bowled Defreitas for a duck.
The Guyanese were bottom-of-the-table with a mere seven points from four matches, and Leewards were fourth on 22 points from the same number of matches.
