Crandon hits unbeaten 65 on return to Guyana team

Apr 12, 2009 Sports

Host reach 208-6 on rain hit opening day

Royston Crandon

By San Devers
Royston Crandon celebrated his return to the Guyana team with a confident unbeaten 65 against Barbados on the rain-hit opening day of their final round WICB regional four-day cricket match at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday.
On a day in which just over an hour’s play was lost, Guyana reached 208-6 when bad light stopped play at 17:44hrs with nine overs remaining in the day as Assad Fudadin (26), Gajanand Singh (28) and debutant wicketkeeper Delbert Hicks (27) failed to build on good starts.

The twenty-five-year-old Crandon, left out of the team for the last three matches after missing one game due to illness, reached his fifth half-century for the season from 80 balls, 143 minutes with seven fours and by the close was four short of his highest score at this level.
His elder brother Esaun Crandon (4*) was with him as the Bajan bowlers all bowled tidy spells but struggled for penetration on a placid pitch and fast outfield in generally overcast conditions. All-rounder Kevin Stoute has so far picked up 2-28 for Barbados who have suffered defeats in their last four matches.

Guyana, who will remain in the cellar position even if they register an outright win in this match, provided former National under-19 players Vishal Singh and Hicks with debuts as Skipper Travis Dowlin, West Indies ODI left-hander Leon Johnson and ‘Keeper Derwin Christian were all sacked.
The South Americans, enduring their worst ever season in regional cricket with six outright defeats so far, were also without recalled West Indies player and the tournament’s leading run scorer Narsingh Deonarine who was unavailable because he is scheduled to join the West Indies team on Tuesday as they prepare for their tour to England.

Guyana slipped to 15-1 when Chris Barnwell (13) seemed very unlucky to be given run out while Skipper Sewnarine Chattergoon, who took 78 minutes to make 16, was caught behind off 17-year-old rookie fast bowler Jason Holder at 50-2.
A heavy shower sent the players scurrying off the field at 11:30hrs with the total on 57-2 and an early lunch was taken with Fudadin on 21 and Gajanand Singh on one.
The left-handed pair laboured to get the ball away when the action finally resumed at 14:00hrs before Fudadin, who hit four fours in his 113-minute and 80-ball innings, was trapped leg before to Stoute at 71-3.

By tea which was taken at 15:10hrs, the host had progressed to 90-3 from 30 overs. Gajanand Singh was on 17 and his unrelated namesake Vishal Singh on four. In the final session, Guyana lost the 20-year-old Vishal Singh (4) when he edged Stoute to the keeper at 93-4.
The 21-year-old Gajanand Singh, in fifth game at this level, then edged leg-spinner Nikolai Charles to leave Guyana on 126-5.
He hit two boundaries in his 103-ball and 118-minute innings and his demise brought the Rose Hall Town pair of Hicks and Royston Crandon together.
The Berbicians added 53 for the sixth wicket with the most attractive cricket of the day before a stupendous diving catch by 20-year-old Sharmarh Brooks; running in from deep square-leg, removed the left-handed Hicks as he swept at left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds.

Hicks departed at 179-6 and he hit four fours in his 48-minute and 42-ball innings after scoring his first runs in first-class cricket with an audacious straight driven boundary off Charles.
The Crandon siblings then saw their team to the close in fading light to end a gloomy day of cricket which was watched by no more than 20 spectators in the stands.
Guyana left-out Steven Jacobs and Trevon Garraway from their final X1 while Barbados, also playing a very young side, omitted Barrington Yearwood and Rashidi Boucher from their starting line-up.

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