Despite a defiant 82 from Assad Fudadin, Guyana head into the third day today trailing their opponents Windward Islands who made 307 all out, by 120-runs in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional 4-day tournament played at the Guyana National Stadium. Providence yesterday.
The classy left-hander, who fell 18 runs short of what would have been a well-deserved century, struck nine fours and a six in his top score which saw the West Indies ‘A’ batsman holding up his end for some 225 minutes while sharing a crucial 5th wicket
partnership of 81 with skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul who scored a composed 73-ball 26.
At stumps Guyana were clinging on at a first innings score of 187 for 7 from 78 overs with Devendra Bishoo (23) and Anthony Bramble (29) both unbeaten and involved in a vital partnership of 51-runs for the 8th wicket. Windwards skipper Liam Sebastien was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 68.
Resuming on 289 for 6 and comfortably placed after Sunil Ambris’ maiden first-class knock of 114 in the first innings, the Windward Islands lost their last 4 wickets for a mere 18 runs in 9.4 overs of day two as Chris Barnwell and Narsingh Deonarine picked up the wickets.
Sebastien, who resumed on 60, failed to add to his overnight total and was trapped lbw by Deonarine. Kenroy Peters (5), Delorn Johnson (4) and Nelon Pascal (0) were the others to fall leaving Alton Bobb stranded on 13 as the visitors posted a formidable score.
Chasing the stiff target on a difficult track Guyana were placed on the back-foot early when Tagenarine Chanderpaul was expertly caught by wicketkeeper Lyndon James who took a diving one-handed catch to remove the young left-hander giving Pascal his first wicket.
The second blow was dealt in the following over bowled by Johnson as Sewnarine Chattergoon (1) attempting a drive, was caught at second slip by Tyrone Theophile leaving the home team in all sorts of trouble at 1 for 2.
Singh and Fudadin, the two left-handers came together and sought to rebuild after the nightmarish start. Fudadin broke the shackles when he drove Pascal through the covers for four while Singh recorded contrasting boundaries of Johnson who he first edged through the slip cordon for four followed by a more conventional straight drive down the ground.
Guyana were 26 for 2 at lunch, but a few overs after the resumption of play Singh (14) was trapped lbw by Peters after being pinned on the back-foot from a straight delivery.
A few balls later the out-of-sorts Deonarine was run out off his first delivery as he scrambled for a single. This is the middle-order batsman’s fourth duck from five innings and his third consecutive of the tournament.
With the score 37 for 4, the skipper and the team’s last possible hope of revival walked to the middle to partner the set Fudadin who, with the confidence of having his skipper in the middle, smashed a few boundaries one of which raised a painstaking 50 for the home team in the 27th over.
The old “Tiger” then opened up on his opposite designate Sebastien in the 28th over by dancing down the track hitting the right-arm off-break bowler for a straight six followed by a four through the covers. Fudadin brought up his 17th first-class half-century in style with a well-timed six over long-on.
Guyana’s 100 came up in the 43rd over with the duo looking well set on swinging the momentum back in their camp’s favor. After a nightmare start the Guyanese had their best session of the day after the lunch break which yielded 88 runs with the fall of just two wickets heading into tea.
Trouble came when Chanderpaul was removed by the opposition skipper after the left-hander nicked a delivery to the wicketkeeper who completed the catch. Barnwell (14) walked out to the middle and opened his account with a six as the home side continued to chase their target.
The kill shot for Guyana came courtesy of team-work from Sebastien and James who got the key scalp of Fudadin who chased a rank “long-hop” and was caught behind the stumps.
Barnwell fell in the next over when he too edged a catch off the bowling of Bobb to James leaving the Guyanese staggering at 136 for 7. Devendra Bishoo and Anthony Bramble steadied the innings picking up a few welcome boundaries at the back end on the final session which they will aim to build on upon the resumption of play.
The match starts at 9:30hrs
