Says Delvon Mc Ewan
Sloppy fielding, ineffective bowling and inefficient leadership resulted in Guyana almost losing its opening match of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional U-19 Tournament against the Leeward Islands.
The match, which ended on Thursday, saw the Guyanese holding on for a face saving draw at the Guyana National Stadium after a rescue act between all-rounder Kemo Paul and wicket keeper/batsman Kemol Savoury.
The pair was involved in a seventh wicket partnership of 103 runs during the final two sessions that ensured Guyana saved the match after being 108-6 at one stage, a lead of just 36 runs with four wickets in hand.
Guyana’s batting, boasting West Indies U19 cricketers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shimron Hetmyer and Ashkay Homraj,
who scored one of three centuries for Guyana at last year’s regional U19 tournament was e expected to and did live up to expectations although none of the batsmen made a century although there were three half centuries.
Unlike the formidable Leewards’ bowlers who got life out of the pitch, the Guyana bowling attack struggled to bowl out the visitors.
Paul, who shared the new ball, bowled much too short on the slow track that was better for batting while the other fast bowler Keon Morris missed his line and length on most occasions.
Guyana’s front line spinner Steven Sankar did not bowl to his ability (a full toss and short pitched deliveries were sent down in almost every over he bowled) while the off spinner Damion Waldron did not cause too much problems for the batsmen.
Waldron bowled fewer overs than part time off spin bowlers Balchand Baldeo and Sharaz Ramcharan as the Guyanese used seven bowlers overall, in its attempt to dismiss the Leewards batsmen.
At several stages of the game it was difficult to identify the leader of the team with senior players assisting in field placement and their teams’ on and off field decisions.
It was difficult to recognize if Brian Sattaur the Guyana captain was making any decision at all. There were times when field placements were poor and the rotation of the bowlers questionable especially the early replacement of Sankar in his first spell after he gave the host its first wicket on the morning of the second day.
Finally, the team’s sloppy fielding allowed the visitors to reach a mammoth total in their only innings of the match. A total of five catches were put down as the Guyana players displayed a poor quality of fielding. The only century maker in the first round Ross Powell, who scored 130 was dropped three times (once on 42 and twice on 52). Apart from the dropped chances, the local players misfielded more than 15 runs as a result of poor fielding, miscommunication and possible tiredness.
Guyana will now face Windward Islands from today at the Everest Cricket Club ground. The players and coaching department needs to get it right if Guyana is to claim an outright win and remain in contention to win the title after seven years absent at the helm.
