Veerasammy Permaul’s mesmerizing 8-26 yesterday catapulted the Guyana Jaguars to a 92-run victory over the spluttering Windwards Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
Set a target of 283 to win after Guyana declared at 175-5, the Windwards flattered to deceive and their last seven wickets tumbled for 39 runs compliments of Permaul’s wizardry.
Permaul’s 11 wickets in the game and Man-of-the-match Narsingh Deonarine’s all-round performance were responsible for the team’s second consecutive win in this year’s WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) Regional 4-day tournament.
The fourth and final day witnessed a magical spell of left-arm spin from the discarded West Indies bowler who razed the Windwards batting order to go along with his first innings figures of 3-40, ending with overall figures of 11-76. He took his tournament tally to 15 wickets.
Deonarine scored his second consecutive ton of the series, a majestic 139 in the first innings before returning with the ball to snare 5-24. The Volcanoes failed to erupt yesterday and were eventually bowled out for 190 in 82.2 overs in pursuit of their 283-run target.
Devon Smith, the 31-year-old former West Indies opener gave his team a glimmer of hope after he fashioned a stylish 55 from 109 deliveries with nine fours as he found support from Andre Fletcher (38), Sunil Ambris (39) and Alston Bobb (24) but they were unable to see their team across the line.
Guyana were bowled out for 291 in the first innings after Deonarine’s century and Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s workman-like 62. Windwards left-arm seamer Kenroy Peters picked up five wickets for his team who in return were bowled out for 184, with Captain Liam Sebastian top scoring with a defiant 54.
Batting a second time Guyana declared at 175-5 with Raymon Reifer finishing on 29 not out after Chanderpaul was run out for a boundary-less but brisk 81-ball 44. Fast bowler Mervin Mathew picked up 3-25 while the left-arm spinner Bobb grabbed 2-29.
The Volcanoes started off positively with Smith and Tyrone Theophile taking the score to 27 in just four overs. Christopher Barnwell, who operated from the Media Centre End bowling a tight wicket-to-wicket line, was rewarded for his consistency when he had Theophile trapped LBW for 9.
The naturally aggressive Fletcher and Smith then joined forces against the Guyanese who favoured pace at one end and utilized Deonarine’s potent off-spin from the other. Smith continued to put away the bad balls to the boundary while Fletcher was keen on picking up quick singles.
Smith raced to 43 at lunch with the Windwards 69-1 from 15 overs, needing 214 to win from the last two sessions in the day. When play resumed Fletcher and Smith switched to aggressive mode smashing four fours inside the first four overs after lunch.
Fletcher launched a couple from Bishoo while Smith was more classical, favouring the cut shot as Bishoo and Permaul for the first time in the tournament seemed to be under pressure. Smith reached his 50 off 78 balls with nine fours.
Bishoo could have gotten his man Fletcher if Beaton had not spilled a catch at long off when the right-hander was on 27. However, Permaul had other plans for the visitors when he put on a magical display of left-arm spin bowling which was clinical in the Windwards losing their last 7 wickets for under 40 runs.
Permaul induced an edge off the bat of Smith which was expertly held onto by wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble as the Jaguars breathed a sigh of relief. With the score 100-2 and the Windwards in a good position to finish off nicely, Ambris who went without scoring in the first innings sought to make amends for his failure along with Fletcher who looked settled.
The tables would again turn this time in favour of the Guyanese when Fletcher was caught by the substitute Trevon Griffith after mistiming a shot from Permaul. Ambris remained positive and took his score to 32 at tea. When play resumed, Permaul landed a triple blow to the Windwards batting order when he had both Ambris and Sebastian caught by Bramble, while Lindon James, the wicket-keeper was caught at mid-off by Reifer for 4.
Permaul continued to flex his muscles by removing Romel Currency who was trapped LBW for 10 and Mathew (00) who became Bramble’s third catch of the innings. With their tails up and sensing an imminent victory, the Jaguars brought back their premier fast-bowler in Ronsford Beaton who didn’t disappoint when he had Kenroy Peters pinned leg before wicket for 3.
The final nail in the coffin was hammered in when Bobb was given out LBW by Permaul and the Guyanese celebrated yet another win on home soil against much stiffer
competition.
Prior to the Windwards’ chase, Guyana resumed their second innings on 133-5 with Chanderpaul on 31 and Reifer, 4. The veteran batsman was run out six short of what would have been his second half-century of the match after a mix up with the Bajan all-rounder Reifer occurred. Anthony Bramble who was not out on 3 replaced the veteran batsman before Guyana opted to declare.
Guyana will now engage Barbados in round three this Friday at the Guyana National Stadium in what is expected to be a high-octane clash.
Scoreboard
Guyana Jaguars 2nd innings
R Chandrika b Mathew 09
A Fudadin b lbw Mathew 19
L Johnson* c Ambris b Bobb 25
N Deonarine c Smith b Bobb 34
S Chanderpaul run out 44
C Barnwell b Mathew 06
R Reifer not out 29
A Bramble not out 03
EXTRAS: (b2, lb1, nb3)
Total: (5 wkts 57 overs) 175 DEC
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 1-40, 1-77, 1-110, 1-125, 1-168
Bowling: Pascal 3-12-47-0, Mathew 18-3-43-3, Bobb 10-30-2, Sebastein 10-1-36-0, Peters 5-1-13, Theophile 2-0-3-0
Windwards Volcanoes 2nd innings
D Smith c wkp Bramble b Permaul 55
T Theophile lbw b Barnwell 09
A Fletcher c (sub) Griffith b Permaul 38
S Ambris c wkp Bramble b Permaul 39
R Currency lbw b Permaul 10
L Sebastein* c wkp Bramble b Permaul 00
L James c Reifer b Permaul 4
A Bobb lbw b Permaul 24
M Mathew c wkp Bramble b Permaul 00
K Peters lbw b Beaton 03
N Pascal not out 00
EXTRAS: (3nb)
TOATL: 10 wkts, 82.2 overs) 190
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-100, 3-117, 4-151, 5-151, 6-159, 7-164, 8-168, 9-187, 10-190
Bowling: Deonarine 14-2-45-0, Beaton 9-2-27-1, Barnwell 6-2-20-1, Permaul 31.2 20-36-8, Bishoo 22-5-53-0
