Having dominated from day one, Kemol Savory’s XI only needed the morning session to wrap up a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Kevlon Anderson and his men on day four of the second Guyana Harpy Eagles Trial Match.
Played at the Meten-Meer-Zorg Community Ground, Anderson’s XI, batting for the second time, resumed on 171/7, still trailing Nandu’s XI by 61 runs. Akshaya Persaud (24 overnight) and Zachary Jodah (10 not out) furthered the cause, shepherding their team to 226 before tragedy struck.
For most of the morning, Persaud had been resolute in defence as he looked to bat long but was undone by the guileful left arm spin of Aryan Persaud, trapped LBW for 42 which included six fours. As if on cue, Persaud’s dismissal sparked a domino-effect as Jodah was the next to go, caught off the same bowler for a promising 39. During his knock, Jodah showed glimpses of his potential, stroking three boundaries and hitting two maximums.
With the tail exposed, it was only a matter of time before Savory’s bowlers wrapped things up, or so it would seem. While Aryan Persaud accounted for Richie Looknauth (caught for 11) after Junior Sinclair bowled Ronaldo Ali Mohamed (6), number 10 Rivaldo Phillips played a cameo 25 from 24 deliveries to take his team to 270 thus erasing the first innings deficit of 232. Phillips’ defiant knock saw him clubbing three sixes and a four before he was bowled by Persaud with his team setting Savory’s men just 39 for victory.
Aryan Persaud ended with figures of 4/15 (9.1 overs) while Leon Swamy had 3/34.
The in-form Matthew Nandu and Raymond Perez, fresh off half-centuries (82 & 93) in the first innings, wasted little time in overhauling the target with Raymond Perez ever the aggressor, lacing four fours in his unbeaten 23. Nandu, who ended on 18 not out, slapped a Kevlon Anderson long hop for four to take his side to victory. Nandu’s knock included a six and three fours.
Earlier on the opening day on Tuesday, Savory had won the toss and inserted Anderson’s XI to bat in a shortened day (due to seepage under the covers) with the latter’s side bowled out in just about a session and a half for 97 as Anthony Adams and Junior Sinclair both snared 4-fers.
In reply, Nandu’s 82 and Perez’s 93 powered Savory’s XI to 329 with a mammoth 232 first innings lead which was always going to pin Anderson’s men on the back-foot.
Following the conclusion of the trial matches, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) selectors are expected to make their pronouncement on the squad that will defend the Guyana Harpy Eagles West Indies Championship from February 7 in St. Kitts.
The matches produced standout performances from batters Nandu, Perez, Anderson and Sachin Singh while Steven Sankar found good success in the first trial match with a second innings six wicket haul to add to his first innings tally of three.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles squad has been severely depleted with the absence of senior players who are either away on West Indies duty or playing in franchise cricket leagues around the world.
