Kemo Paul and Kemol Savoury’s seventh-wicket stand secured a draw for Guyana against the Leeward Islands as the visitors were yesterday denied a chance at an outright victory on the final day of the opening round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-19 tournament.
Paul’s responsible innings of 90 was enough to give the locals a draw in their opening match of the tournament at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence. He received valuable support from wicket keeper/batsman Savoury who made a fighting 36 to aid Guyana’s recovery.
The importance of the partnership was made clear when the hosts lost their remaining wickets for just two runs after Paul’s dismissal. Before the partnership, Guyana was struggling to save the match at 106-8.
Earlier, resuming on its overnight score of 300-8, Leewards reached 342 all out in 126.1 overs, a lead of 72. Colin Archibald (1) was removed early in the day’s play by Sharaz Ramcharran without adding to his overnight score while his partner, skipper Jeremiah Louis scored 72 runs. Louis, who began the day on 49, batted well to give his team a comfortable lead. The Leewards skipper shared in a tenth wicket stand with Therone Bussue (18 not out) worth 36 before the visitors were eventually bowled out. Louis was the last man out, caught off the bowling of Balchand Baldeo.
Ramcharan led the Guyanese attack with 3-57 while support came from Steven Sankar and Baldeo, who claimed two wickets each.
As it was on the second morning, the Leewards’ first session dominance continued as its bowlers claimed two of the locals’ wickets early in their second innings. Guyana’s two most senior players Shimron Hetmyer and Tagenarine Chanderpaul were the batsmen who fell before lunch. Hetmyer (14) played a reckless shot and was caught by Bussue at gully off Louis while Chanderpaul was bowled six minutes before the lunch break as he drove loosely at a wide ball that found the inside edge of his bat and went on to his stump.
Guyana was staring at defeat halfway through the second session before Paul and Savoury combined for a responsible partnership of 34 runs before the tea break. The batsmen that were dismissed during that period included captain Brian Sattaur (18), Baldeo (4) who was dropped at gully in the previous delivery before edging to second slip, Ramcharran (8) and Ashkay Homraj (8).
Left arm medium pacer Colin Archibald accounted for Ramcharran’s and Homraj’s wickets.
However, all-rounder Paul batted confidently to rebuild Guyana’s innings after entering the crease with the score at 61-4.
The talented cricketer from Essequibo batted with authority and brought up his half century just before the interval with his ninth boundary through mid-wicket. Paul and Savoury’s partnership summed up the decisive session. Continuing on 51 after tea, Paul raced to 70 in 20 minutes as he hit three delightful boundaries off consecutive deliveries from Shaquille Martina. The left-handed Savoury complemented the right-handed Paul and the pair kept the visitors at bay and made sure that they made no further inroads to their batting lineup.
Martina was the chief wicket taker for the Leewards in Guyana’s second innings, finishing with 4-49 and match figures of 9-135. Alzarri Joseph and Archibald supported Martina with two wickets each.
Although the match ended in a draw, Leewards gained 0.7 of a point more than the host; Leewards 8.8 and Guyana 8.1.
Scores in the match; Guyana 1st innings: 270 all out in 77 overs (Chanderpaul 65 and Homraj 62, Martina 5-86) and 2nd innings: 214 all out (Paul 90 and Savoury 36, Martina 4-49).
Leeward Islands 1st innings: 342 all out in 126.1 overs (Ross Powell 130, Louis 72 and Kacey Carthy 65, Sharaz Ramcharan 3-57).
