Guyana go down to Windwards by 3 wickets in thriller at Blairmont

Nov 16, 2008 Sports

By Franklin Wilson

Deon Ferrier is stumed by Lyndon Jacobs off Liam Sebastian

Watched by the largest crowd to date in any match, home team Guyana were upstaged by the Windward Islands in a nail biting finish to their President’s Cup Regional One Day contest at the Blairmont Community Centre ground yesterday afternoon.
The thrilling encounter, the lone game on the day which was reduced to 27 overs and started at 12:30hrs due to overnight and early morning showers, saw the Windwards rebounding form their defeat on Friday to the Combined Colleges and Campuses to overpower the hosts by three wickets with 2 balls to spare, avenging their loss in last years competition (KFC Cup).
Captain Rawle Lewis won the toss and invited Travis Dowlin and his charges to bat, the lads from the Land of Many Waters were bowled out for 170 off 26.2 overs with the Windwards coasting to victory at 174-7, number 9 batsman Kevin James hoisting debutant Steven Jacobs for an enormous six over midwicket with two balls to spare.
The rain surely did not dampen the spirits of the Islanders whose win was built around the man-of-the-match performance of off spinner Liam Sebastian’s 5-28 from his allotted six overs.

A section of the crowd at Blairmont yesterday

West Indies opener Devon Smith curbed his natural attacking style when the Windwards responded to anchor his side with a cool and calm innings, gathering 63 runs from 68 balls spiced up with two huge sixes and three spanking boundaries on a pitch tailor made for batting.
Fellow Windies player Darren Sammy featured in an 85 run fourth wicket partnership with Smith that consolidated the middle innings with the Windwards in a spot of bother on 60-3 after nine probing overs. Sammy departed for a solid 38 gathered off 36 balls with four fours.
The only other batsmen reaching double figures were Johnson Charles 27 off 13 balls (2 sixes & 1 four) and captain Rawle Lewis with 10 (2 fours).
Conscious that the total they posted was not enough, the Guyanese opened their bowling with the off spin of Royston Crandon with the hope that they would have pegged back the Windwards, but that was never to be as the visitors batted sensibly taking singles while putting away the many bad balls sent down by the Guyanese bowlers.
Opener Miles Bascombe went back in the first over without facing a ball, Smith after smashing the second ball of the innings for four, hit the next to long on and hesitated taking the third run, substitute fielder Brandon Bess on for captain Travis Dowlin who injured his ankle after reaching a well deserved half century sent in an accurate return to Crandon who did the rest.
They host team were not able to take wickets as often as they wanted; the visitors were bent on securing their wickets and eventual victory by milking the bowling while hitting boundaries and sixes at the right time.

Stand in Captain Mahendra Nagamootoo tried his utmost in rotating his bowlers but could not contain the batsmen much more their victory bid.
With nine runs needed in the final over, Nagamootoo entrusted the ball to debutant Steven Jacobs who did well to trap Smith lbw off the third ball but that was after the left handed batsman had taken a double off a skied shot that fell in no mans land and a four off the first two balls.
With the score on 168-7 and another three runs required for victory off 3 balls, Kevin James stepped to the wicket and seemed not to be bothered by all the excitement and the vociferous crowd.
His first ball from Jacobs was sent over the midwicket boundary for six as the Windwards ended on 174-7 to earn their first points of the competition, showing great fight and determination.
Veersammy Permaul was the most successful Guyanese bowler with 2-21 from five while Jacobs, who the Islanders took a liking to, took 2-32 from 3.4 overs. Crandon had 1-40 from six.
Earlier, the home team was led to their total with half centuries from Dowlin who hit 59 (7 fours) and Crandon 54 (3 sixes & 2 fours) off 48 balls, the two featuring in a century partnership of 103 for the third wicket coming together with their team on 16-2, Chris Barnwell (5) and Narsingh Deonarine (2) back in the pavilion. Dowlin’s 50 came off 45 balls with Crandon’s taking one ball more.
The remaining batsmen did not apply themselves, failing to capitalise on the good foundation built by the two top scorers, wickets falling steadily to bad shot selection.
Much credit must go to the visitors bowlers led by Sebastian who was ably supported by opener bowler Nelon Pascal with 4-33 from five. Sammy, who was again roughed up, took the other wicket to fall for 28 runs from 3.2 overs.
The crowd which braved the weather to be present cheered their team all along but was disappointed with the performance of the local players at the end.
The Windwards on the other hand will be happy with their performance coming off a defeat to the CCC.
Both teams will be in action again on Tuesday, Guyana taking on Jamaica at the Providence Stadium and will have to lift their game if they are to win especially after squeezing to a four wicket win over the CCC on match day one.
Windwards will oppose Barbados at the Enmore ground and will hope to maintain their winnings ways against a tough Bajan side.