KHAN (4-17), DANIELS (3-15 & 23), IMPRESS AS GUYANA SQUEEZE BY WINDWARDS

Dec 13, 2008 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Trinidad
In association with Igloo
Ice Cream, Pepsi, Smalta,
TCL, Demerara Power
Company, Lifetime Reality
& Noble House Seafoods

Watched by a spattering of fans at the Wilson Road ground in South Trinidad, just under 60 miles from the Capitol Port-of-Spain, Guyana squeezed past the Windward Islands by one wicket with three balls to spare yesterday in the second round of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) 50-overs regional under-17 cricket tournament.

West Indies under-15 leg-spinner Amir Khan produced a vastly improved performance from the first game and snatched 4-17 from 10 impressive overs, while pacer Seon Daniels had 3-15 from 10 overs as the Windward Islands were restricted to 122-9 in 50 overs after they had elected to bat.

A responsible unbeaten 22 from Skipper Dexter Solomon, 30 from Herell Greene, 23 from man-of-the-match Daniels and 22 from Dayanand Roopnarine then led Guyana, aided by seven dropped catches and a mis-stumping chance, to 123-9 in 49.3 overs as the South Americans, who lost to Barbados on Thursday, collected their first points in the six-team development tournament.

On another day blessed with glorious sunshine, the Windward Islands slipped to 10-2 as Daniels bowled Articus Browne for a duck and had Kyle James (1) caught behind inside the first seven overs of the contest.

Sunil Ambris, the brother of first-class player Romel Currency and one of four players who played in this year’s regional under-19 series in Barbados, stroked Stoll elegantly through square cover to register the first boundary in the ninth over and along with Skipper Kevin Hodge took the score to 25 after Daniels (5-1-9-2) and Stoll (5-2-8-1) had suffocated the batsmen with controlled work on a slow track. Clinton Pestano struck in his first over when he had Ambris (9) caught at slip in the 12th over.

Hodge used his feet nicely and drove left-arm spinner Trinson Carmichael for successive boundaries, while Rudolph Paul flicked Pestano out of the ground as the Islanders, who were bowled out for 63 in their loss to Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, looked to consolidate their position as the 50 was posted in 16.3 overs.

With the score on 58, Hodge (25) hit Khan to mid-on while Denis Smith (1) was leg before to a googlie in Khan’s next over as the Windwards slipped to 60-5.

Rudolph Paul (21) and Allan-Dee Ballantyne (2) fell in successive overs to Khan as the Islanders slumped to 71-7 in 28 overs. Kurt Edwards (9) then lofted Stoll to deep cover to leave his team on 88-8.

Jamally Odle, who took four wickets in the first game, conceded 11 from his only over yesterday as the Windward Islands’ tail wagged against a young Guyana team which has not yet developed the killer instinct.

Daniels trapped Dwight Thomas (21) leg before at 109-9 in the 41st over but Josh Thomas (18*) and Durani Charles (4*) ensured their team batted out the overs.

Guyana in reply lost Quincy Ovid-Richardson (1) in the second over when he pulled a waist high full toss from off-spinner James straight to deep mid-wicket with the score on four.

Jamally Odle was caught behind off pacer Josh Thomas for a duck at 11-2 and had Greene not been dropped off James on two and again by Thomas off his own bowling on 11, Guyana would have been in an even worse position.

Roopnarine was then miss-stumped on 10 and dropped at mid-on on 11; both times off the unlucky James who ended with figures of 10-1-20-1.

Greene, who took 79 balls for his 30, missed a wild swipe at left-arm spinner Hodge and was bowled at 55-3 while four runs later Roopnarine, who was now beginning to look dangerous, spooned a catch to point off Edwards.

Delon Fernandes (4) was run out in the 24th over at 62-5, while Pestano (4) was also run out and at 68-6 in the 28th over the Windward Islands were back in the fray. Stoll was dropped in the deep on three off Hodge at 71-6 and the chatter in the field from the Islanders demonstrated who was in control.

Stoll (4) then skied an impetuous slog at Hodge and skied the ball ‘miles’ into the air for the bowler to take the catch and leave Guyana on 73-7 in the 31st over.

It was soon 85-8 in 37 overs when Carmichael edged a catch to the keeper off Paul while Daniels was dropped by the keeper on five off Josh Thomas at 94-8.

Daniels, dropped at long-on on 12, pulled a high full toss from Paul for four in the penultimate over before driving a full toss to mid-on with two required to win to end a crucial 36-run partnership. Daniels’ 23 lasted 40 balls and included one four.

Solomon, who finished unbeaten on 22 from 81 balls, then hit the third ball of the final over for two to gave his team victory.

Guyana again left out their most senior player in fast bowler Keon Joseph while Jomal LaFleur and Ricardo Devers (who was replaced by Carmichael in the only change from the first match) were the other two players not selected yesterday.

After a break today, Guyana face host Trinidad and Tobago in their third match tomorrow at the Invaders ground.

Coach Orin Bailey said that while he has several options with his bowling attack he is very disappointed with the batting in the two matches so far and is hoping for an improved performance with the bat against T&T.

Daniels, who already looks one of the most promising fast bowlers in the competition, again left the field suffering from dehydration after his first spell and the physiotherapist recommended that the pacer undergo a blood test to check the Potassium level in his body.

Meanwhile, T&T beat Jamaica and Barbados defeated the Leeward Islands yesterday to remain the only unbeaten teams after two rounds.

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