Prolific Deonarine breaks record for most runs in a season, Barnwell grabs 5-77

Apr 05, 2009 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Jamaica
In association with Noble House Seafoods,
Western Union & Jamaica Pegasus

Guyana reached 268-6 replying to Jamaica’s 389 at the end of the second day of their two-day WICB Regional four-day cricket match at Jarrett Park yesterday even as 30,000 fans flocked the National Stadium in Kingston for the Jamaica junior athletics championships.
A crowd of about 300 here watched as Chris Barnwell continued his impressive debut season with his first five-wicket haul at this level (5-77) and got support from Brandon Bess (2-98) as Jamaica added 95 to their first day score.
Twenty-five year old Narsingh Deonarine significantly enhanced his chances of selection on the West Indies team to tour England next month by breaking the record of 974 set by Stuart Williams in 2002 for the most runs scored in a regional season and became the first batsmen to score 1000 runs in a single season.
The elegant left-hander from Albion in Berbice made 63 from 89 balls with seven fours to take his runs tally this season to 1013 and must now be a virtual certainty for the England trip.
In glorious sunshine, Deonarine added 47 for the third wicket with his Albion teammate Sewnarine Chattergoon who scored an attractive 63 after the pair joined forces at 88-2 just before Tea when Leon Johnson was removed to a catch at slip off Andrew Richardson for three.
Derwin Christian (6) and Assad Fudadin (32) were the not out batsmen at the close on a slow pitch on which the cracks are getting wider and the ball is keeping low more frequently.
Watched by a good sized crowd in the tourist populated Parish of St James, Jamaica resumed on 294-4 and slumped to 253-9 before an entertaining last wicket partnership of 36 between Richardson (25) and Odean Browne (13*) frustrated the Guyanese who fought back well yesterday to dismiss the champions 16 minutes before lunch.
David Bernard resumed the day on 32 and was soon leg before to Barnwell at 316-5 while his overnight partner Carlton Baugh only added 13 to his first-day 50 before he was trapped leg before to Bess at 334-6. Baugh’s attacking 63 lasted 68 balls and included 10 fours.
Aussie-born West Indies Test left-hander Brendon Nash cut Barnwell audaciously to the point boundary but was leg before to the medium pacer for eight at 347-7, while a run later, Daren Powell (8) was taken at slip by Johnson to give Barnwell his five-wicket haul.
After Gavin Wallace (4) was taken at point off Bess, the tail wagged briefly before Richardson was caught and bowled by Jacobs after hitting Deonarine and Veerasammy Permaul for sixes over long-on in his cameo.
By lunch Guyana were 10-0 off an over from Powell and after the interval Chattergoon and Barnwell provided their team with a solid foundation.  The 50 was posted from 60 balls as both batsmen played positively as the Jamaica bowling lacked venom and their fielding looked ragged on the slightly rough outfield.
Chattergoon clipped Bernard to the square leg boundary to post the 50 before Barnwell celebrated with a bullet-like straight drive off Powell. Chattergoon then stroked the out-of-favour Test pacer to the cover ropes and followed it up with an even better cover-driven boundary next ball as Powell struggled for rhythm and confidence and looked very frustrated with his work with the ball on the placid pitch.
When six short of his third fifty this season, Barnwell edged Bernard to slip at 74-1 after hitting five fours and a six from just 31 balls.  Johnson’s run of failures continued when he fell to Richardson before Chattergoon reached his 20th first-class half-century from 111 minutes, 71 balls with eight fours.
By Tea, Guyana were 126-2 with Chattergoon on 56 and the in-form Deonarine on 17, seven runs away from Stuart William’s record of 974 in 2002 as the most runs in a regional season.
Chattergoon was then trapped leg before in the third over after tea as he played back to leg-spinner Odean Browne to give him his 48th wicket this season and leave Guyana on 135-3. Chattergoon reached the boundary nine times in his 91-ball 63.
Deonarine then punched Browne to deep cover to go past William’s record of 974. He then celebrated with a pugnacious pull for four off Wallace off the next ball he faced as the left-hander with four Tests to his name continued to enjoy a prolific season.
With pulsating Reggae music emanating from the massive speakers beyond the boundary in between overs, Dowlin (8) was removed by Wallace at 166-4 but the fluent Deonarine continued to treat the crowd to an array of high-class shots and a few of his perfectly placed cover drives were simply sublime.
Deonarine, who last played a Test match in 2005 in Sri Lanka, reached his 27th 50 at this level and 1000 runs this season. His half-century was posted with a crunching cover driven boundary off Browne and came from 67 balls and 107 minutes with six fours. When well set for his third ton of the season Deonarine edged a wide ball from Bernard to slip at 217-5 while Jacobs (19) played a loose cut to Browne minutes before the close to leave Guyana on 262-6. Christian joined Fudadin to see their team to the end without further loss when the action ended at 18:08hrs Jamaica time.  The pair will hope to take Guyana closer to first innings points when play resumes at 09:30hrs (10:30 Guy time) today

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