Century partnership from Crandon, Dowlin keeps Guyana in the fight

Feb 08, 2009 Sports

---

After Barbados amass 495-8 declared

By Sean Devers in Barbados

In association with Carib Beer,

Hanes, TCL & Trophy Stall

The smiles were back on the faces of everyone at the Windwards ground here yesterday and the unadulterated joy among the spectators had little to do with the fact that Guyana had lost four quick wickets on the second day of their fifth round four-day WICB regional first-class cricket match against Barbados.
The atmosphere of jubilation was simply fantastic as fans in Barbados celebrated the emphatic West Indies victory (the first against England in nine years) yesterday at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
But for the many Guyanese in the fair size crowd here, the emotions were mixed as the Guyana batting continued to be a major let down with their two West Indies batsmen -Leon Johnson and Narsingh Deonarine – failing to reach double figures on a good track with some bounce on which Barbados had made 495-8 declared.
By the close, Guyana had recovered from 57-4 to reach 166-4 with Skipper Travis Dowlin on 49 and Royston Crandon on 62 and the visitors still 181 runs away from avoiding the follow-on.
Crandon and Dowlin added 118 for the fifth wicket as Guyana fought back gamely in the final session to leave their team 330 runs away from first innings points going into the penultimate day today.
Crandon has so far faced 117 balls, batted for 127 minutes and hit six fours and two sixes while Dowlin has batted 114 balls, 155 minutes with three fours and a six and the continuation of their partnership could be very important today if Guyana hope to save the game.
Skipper Jason Haynes carried his overnight 89 to 104 while Dwayne Smith (80), Patrick Browne (66) and debutant Nikolai Charles (54*) cashing in on some innocuous bowling by the Guyanese after pacers Brandon Bess and Esuan Crandon had troubled the batsmen with the second new ball.
Barbados resumed on 298-4 with Haynes on 89 and Smith on 55 and after three overs Guyana took the second new ball and Bess in particular ran in and bowled with raw pace after Smith had disdainfully hooked Bess for a massive six.
Haynes clipped Deonarine elegantly through wide mid-wicket for four and then reached his second hundred at this level and second in a row against Guyana by steering Esuan Crandon behind point. His century came from 357 minutes, 242 balls and was decorated with eight fours on the slightly heavy outfield.
On a track with some bounce in hazy sunshine, Bess tested both batsmen with some hostile bouncers but struggled for consistency with his control as he often sprayed the ball wide of the mark in windy conditions. But at age 21, he is one of the brightest fast bowling prospects in the region and soon broke the 143-run fifth wicket partnership when Haynes edged a catch to the Keeper Derwin Christian to leave the score on 351-5.
Bess bowled unchanged for almost an hour yesterday morning together with Esuan Crandon who struck a blow later when Smith, who hit seven fours and two sixes from 90 balls and 134 minutes, was well caught by Shemroy Barrington as two wickets tumbled for no run as Guyana fought back.
Crandon then induced Kemar Roach (0) to nick a catch to Christian as Barbados slipped to 366-7.
With Bess and Crandon out of the attack, the Guyana bowling looked impotent as Browne and Charles repaired the damage with a solid eighth wicket partnership as the hosts progressed to 436-7 by lunch with Browne on 50 and Charles on 32.
After lunch, Guyana used the leg-spin of Johnson and Bishoo in tandem and Browne soon lofted Bishoo to deep cover at 458-8 after batting for 121 minutes, facing 104 balls and hitting six fours.
With Charles, picked for his leg-spinning ability, on 40 when Browne departed, Barbados, who made 531 and won by an innings and 57 runs last year when the two teams last met, opted not to declare.
A fair size crowd watched in brilliant sunshine as Pedro Collins dumped Bishoo over long-on for two huge sixes in consecutive overs.
Charles reached his 50 from 104 balls, 125 minutes with two fours and a six while Collins contributed 21 before the declaration was made at 13:33hrs.
Guyana lost Chris Barnwell (4) when he was leg before to Collins at 10-1 while the left-handed Johnson was caught behind for a duck off Collins to leave the visitors on the ropes on 19-2.
Deonarine joined Barrington who again looked the most solid of the Guyanese top order batsmen, but soon tucked a short ball from Collymore to square-leg after making five on the stroke of tea with the score on 30-3 and Barrington on 16.
After tea, Barrington drove loosely at Roach and was well taken at second slip by Smith at 57-4 after making 30 from 53 balls, 83 minutes with two fours.
Dowlin (Guyana’s most experienced batsman) and Royston Crandon joined forces to rebuild the innings and both batsmen played some audacious shots with Crandon lofting Hinds’ left-arm spin ‘miles’ out of the ground for a six.

Not to be outdone, Dowlin effortlessly deposited leg-spinner Charles over cover for a flat six as Guyana enjoyed the exchanges after tea despite the demise of Barrington.
The Guyanese targeted the rookie spinner with Crandon hammering him over extra cover for a boundary before posting his third fifty of the season from 87 balls, 86 minutes with six fours and a six.
Dowlin, who was dropped low down by the keeper off Roach on 45 just before the close, finished just one short of his third fifty of the season. Collins has so far taken 2-21 for the Bajans.

---

---