Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – Steady batting, aided by five missed chances, put Guyana in a solid position to take first innings lead over Barbados on the second day of the fifth round Regional first-class match at Kensington Oval here yesterday.
Responding to a total of 317 all out off 116.1 overs after 20-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman Shane Dowrich became the fourth Barbados batsman to score a half-century, Guyana, lifted by half-centuries from Assad Fudadin and Narasingh Deonarine, closed on 187 for three off 63 overs.
Deonarine was unbeaten on 63 with Ramnaresh Sarwan as his partner on 19, while Fudadin made 62.
Barbados’ fielding woes hurt them down to the day’s very last over when Sarwan, lured into a hook off debutant 21-year-old fast bowler Miguel Cummins, was badly dropped on the fine-leg boundary by Pedro Collins on 15 as the ball went into the boundary.
Former West Indies left-arm pacer Collins, 35, had given Barbados early success when he had Trevon Griffith caught at second slip by Christopher Jordan for 17, offering a defensive stroke with the score 26 in the fifth over of the innings.
Griffith’s opening partner Leon Johnson, also a left-hander, was next dismissed, caught at first slip by Sulieman Benn off medium-pacer Jonathan Carter for 13 to make it 47 for two.
Deonarine was dropped on two by Benn running back from slip, off Carter.
At tea, the score was 87 for two off 27 overs with Fudadin on 31 and Deonarine, 20. The pair consolidated and added 105 in 37.1 overs for the third wicket before Fudadin, yet another left-hander, was leg before wicket by pacer Jordan.
Fudadin batted for 191 minutes, received 136 balls and hit eight fours and one six. He got to his half-century in 132 minutes off 84 balls with seven fours and one six.
Deonarine, also a left-hander, has so far batted for 189 minutes, faced 141 balls and struck eight boundaries. He reached his fifty in 137 minutes off 108 balls with six fours.
Earlier, left-hander Carter, who resumed on 50 with Barbados 227 for six, was dismissed in the day’s second ball, caught at first slip by skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul off fast bowler Brandon Bess without addition.
Jordan was well caught low at slip by Christopher Barnwell off off-spinner Deonarine for 12 and Benn sliced a drive off Barnwell to gully in Johnson after scoring 15.
Dowrich, who started the day on nine, was bowled middle stump by pacer Ronsford Beaton for 54 and Collins, playing back to an arm ball from left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, was leg before wicket for 16.
Carter batted for 170 minutes, faced 106 balls and hit five boundaries.
Dowrich was at the crease for 115 minutes, received 82 balls and struck six fours.
Bess took three for 45 off 14 overs and Permaul, three for 64 off 34.1 overs.