By Charwayne Walker
When Berbice’s pugnacious left hander Shimron Hetmyer reached three figures against Bangladesh at the Providence Cricket Stadium in the second ODI in the IPAY sponsored series, the flamboyant former West Indies Under 19 skipper had joined a distinguished group of players who walked the plank with ODIs centuries in Guyana.
First to achieve the feat was Desmond Leo Haynes, the legendary Barbados’ opener put Australia to the sword with a magnificent unbeaten 133 at the Albion Sports Complex ground in Berbice in 1984. At the same venue, the following year, Haynes again had the Albion Sports Complex in a frenzy. This time New Zealand were the sufferers as his unbeaten 145 gave the West Indies victory by 130 runs.
Pakistan’s Javed Miandad was the next ODI century maker in Guyana but his unbeaten even 100 failed to save Pakistan from a seven-wicked defeat against the West Indies at GCC Bourda in 1988.
Haynes continued his one day international dominance in Guyana with a murderous undefeated 152 against India at GCC Bourda. West Indies won that clash by a 101 runs in March 1989. Haynes’ compatriot Carlisle Best’s even 100 condemned England to a six wicket defeat in February 1990 at GCC Bourda.
Australian Geoff Marsh unbeaten 106 silenced GCC Bourda in February 1991. The West Indies lost that ODI by 6 wickets.
Sri Lanka giant killer Sanath Jayasuriya was the next man to score a one day international century in Guyana. His 115 helped Sri Lanka to 303 for 5. The West Indies lost that Providence clash by a 113 runs – 2007 ICC World Cup.
The legendary Shivnarine Chanderpaul became the first Guyanese to score a century in a one day international in Guyana. His 112 condemned England to a 21-run defeat in 2009 at Providence Cricket Stadium. England’s captain Andrew Strauss also scored a century in that same clash but his 105 was in a losing cause.
Babar Azam scored 125 not out versus West Indies at Providence 2017. Pakistan won that ODI by 74 runs while Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal scored 130 not out versus West Indies – Providence Cricket Stadium 2018.
