PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Royston Crandon snared three wickets in the final over as Guyana withstood a late onslaught from Dwayne Bravo to reach the Grand Final of the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship with a stunning four-run victory over hosts Trinidad & Tobago yesterday.
Bravo blasted one four and six sixes in 55 from 20 balls but Crandon ended with four wickets for 37 runs from four overs as T&T, in pursuit of 176 from their allocation of 20 overs, were bowled out for 171.
Much to the chagrin of a crowd in excess of 10,000 in the weather-affected first semi-final on home soil at the Queen’s Park Oval, part-time off-spinner Crandon trapped T&T captain Daren Ganga lbw for eight with the penultimate ball of the match to formalise the victory for the Guyanese with one ball to spare.
The result means that Guyana advanced to the Grand Final today where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between Barbados and Jamaica to be played later yesterday.The winner of the Grand Final will represent West Indies at the lucrative Champions League Twenty20 in September in South Africa, alongside the best T20 club teams in the World.
W
est Indies opener Adrian Barath stroked four fours and one six in 54 from 44 balls but T&T stumbled through the first half of their innings.
Leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo swung the match decisively with the scalp of the big-hitting Kieron Pollard caught brilliantly at long-off by a diving Foo.
When Bishoo bowled Navin Stewart in the 16th over, T&T needed 67 from the last 23 deliveries with four wickets standing.
Bravo responded to the burden of responsibility with some enterprising batting, including an over from Barnwell in which he struck 27, comprising a straight six, a cut to third man for four, another six over long-off from a full toss, a third six pulled over mid-wicket, a deuce to long-on, and a three from an overthrow.
Next over – the 18th – Bravo continued his big-hitting with two straight sixes off Lennox Cush’s uncomplicated off-spin, but the same bowler made a vital breakthrough for Guyana, when he had the West Indies all-rounder caught at long-off from the final ball of the over.
T&T entered the final over needing 14, and West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin eased the tension with a four to wide long-on off Crandon, but he was bowled with the next delivery, and Dave Mohammed was caught at deep mid-wicket recklessly pulling the next ball to leave T&T needing 10 from the last three balls.
Ganga edged the next delivery to third man for four, Crandon delivered a wide next ball, but he found the right line and length to trap the T&T captain plumb in front with the next ball to silence the crowd.
Bishoo supported Crandon with three for 25 from four overs.
Earlier, Travis Dowlin anchored Guyana’s batting with two fours and four sixes in 59 from 40 balls.
He shared an opening stand of 51 with Sewnarine Chattergoon, and then put on 76 for the second wicket with Esuan Crandon.
Chattergoon made 36 from 23 balls, and Crandon got a run-a-ball 30, but Guyana needed some useful late hitting from Barnwell, Jonathan Foo, and their captain Ramnaresh Sarwan to beef-up their total.
Pollard was the most successful T&T bowler with four for 31 from four overs.
SCOREBOARD
GUYANA (19 overs maximum)
T. Dowlin c S. Ganga b D.J. Bravo 59
S. Chattergoon c wkpr Ramdin b Simmons 36
E. Crandon c Perkins b Pollard 30
C. Barnwell c Simmons b Pollard 14
J. Foo b Pollard 14
R. Crandon c wkpr Ramdin b Pollard 5
+D. Christian not out 3
*R. Sarwan run out (Pollard) 6
Extras (b1, lb1, w5, nb1) 8
TOTAL (7 wkts, 19 overs) 175
L. Cush, N. Deonarine, D. Bishoo did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Chattergoon, 6.5 overs); 2-127 (Dowlin, 14.4); 3-132 (E. Crandon, 15.3); 4-161 (Foo, 17.2); 5-166 (Barnwell, 17.5); 6-166 (R. Crandon, 17.6); 7-166 (*Sarwan, 18.6)
Bowling: D.J. Bravo 4-0-33-2 (w1); Stewart 4-0-38-0 (nb1, w2); S. Ganga 2-0-16-0; Simmons 3-0-33-1; Mohammed 2-0-22-0; Pollard 4-0-31-4 (w2)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (target: 176 off 19 overs)
W. Perkins c Foo b E. Crandon 10
A. Barath c *Sarwan b Barnwell 54
L. Simmons c and b Bishoo 6
D.M. Bravo c*Sarwan b R. Crandon 9
K. Pollard c Foo b Bishoo 15
D.J. Bravo c Foo b Cush 55
N. Stewart b Bishoo 1
*D. Ganga lbw b R. Crandon 8
+D. Ramdin b R. Crandon 4
D. Mohammed c E. Crandon b R. Crandon 0
S. Ganga not out 0
Extras (lb1, w9) 10
TOTAL (all out, 18.5 overs) 171
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Perkins, 2.4 overs); 2-47 (Simmons, 6.5); 3-74 (D.M. Bravo, 10.2); 4-102 (Pollard, 13.4); 5-105 (Barath, 14.2); 6-109 (Stewart, 15.1); 7-162 (D.J. Bravo, 17.6); 8-166 (+Ramdin, 18.2); 9-166 (Mohammed, 18.3)
Bowling: E. Crandon 3-0-16-1 (w1); Cush 3-0-35-1 (w1); Barnwell 4-0-46-1 (w7); Bishoo 4-0-25-3; R. Crandon 4-0-37-4 (w1); Deonarine 1-0-11-0
Result: Guyana won by four runs
Series: Guyana advance to the Grand Final, T&T to the Consolation Final
Man-of-the-Match: Dwayne Bravo (T&T)
Umpires: B. Doctrove, N. Malcolm
TV umpire: G. Greaves
Matchreferee: M. Hosein
Reserve umpire: P. Nero