Jamaica cops $1.6 million 1st prize

Oct 26, 2009 Sports

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Guyana go down in low scoring final

By Sean Devers

Guyana did well to restrict the Chris Gayle Jamaicans to 111 on Saturday nigh under lights at the Guyana National Stadium in the final of the Guyana Cricket Board 20/20 cricket Festival before an inefficient batting performance on a flat track and fast outfield resulted in them losing by 5 runs with 3 balls to spare.

After the usually pugnacious Gayle was bowled by Chris Barnwell for a 7-ball duck, only Danza Hyatt (29 from 34 balls with 3 fours) passed 15 as Jamaica, who collected $1.6 million, were dismissed in 19 overs.

Barnwell (4-17) left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-17) and experienced leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo (2-20) maintained the pressure for Guyana who crashed to 106 all out in 19.3 overs as only Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan (32 from 37 balls with 3 fours), Travis Dowlin (20) and Derwin Christian (15) reached double figures as Gayle finished with 2-16 from 2.3 overs for the winners.

Lucky to be in the final after Barbados (who beat them on Friday) allowed them to contest the final as their (Barbados) contribution to the GCB fund raising event, Guyana, whose team was picked a day before their first match, looked ill-prepared and had to settle for the $800,000 runner-up prize although Barnwell copped the Man-of-the-Match trophy.

A large and colorful crowd urged Guyana on and produced a festive ‘International match’ atmosphere but the Guyana side, with five Test players occupying the first 5 positions in the batting order struggled to hunt down the small total once both openers were dismissed in the space of a run to leave the score on 25-2.

Sewnarine Chattergoon (4) was LBW to left-arm spinner Nikita Miller while Dowlin was run out just when he was beginning to look threatening.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul arrived to a thunderous ovation but once again struggled to get the ball away in the shortest version of the game and was soon caught and bowled by Gayle for 5 from 12 balls, while pacer Andrew Richardson had Narsingh Deonarine (7) caught behind 10 runs later as Guyana, the inaugural regional 20/20 champions, slumped to 48-4.

Barnwell (9) Steven Jacobs (1) and Esuan Crandon (0) departed in the space of 2 runs as Guyana slumped to 80-7 as Miller took 2 wickets and leg-spinner Odean Browne removed Barnwell.

Sarwan, who got going with an exquisite cover driven boundary before cutting Taylor delightfully to the point boundary, tried to hold the innings together until he lost his head and wicket when he missed a wild swipe at Taylor and was bowled at 86-8.

Christian hit a four and a six as he tried to take Guyana home but once he fell off the first ball of the final over to Gayle, which began with Guyana needing 9 to win and Permaul (0) panicked and ran himself out looking for an impossible 2 to long-on, the Jamaicans were celebrating as Nagamootoo was left unbeaten on 3.

Earlier, Esuan Crandon began the game with a maiden and Barnwell scattered Gayle’s wicket while Nagamootoo had Xavier Marshall (15) leg before after missing a scoop shot to leave Jamaica on 33-2.

The Jamaicans, who lost to T&T in last year’s regional 20/20 tournament in Antigua, were soon 54-3 when Shawn Findley (12) was bowled by Permaul.

Hyatt and Hinds tried to repair the damage but once both batsmen were removed in the space of three runs to leave the score on 81-5, only Carlton Baugh of the other batsmen reached double figures with 10 as Barnwell took 3 wickets in his 3rd over and Richardson ran himself out to end the innings with 6 balls remaining.

In the 3rd place play-off, the United Chargers of the USA beat Barbados in the ‘Super over’ after the game ended in a tie.

Man-of-the-Match Lennox Cush smashed a 46-ball 69 with 6 fours and 3 sixes while fellow Guyanese Deon Ferrier hit 23 as the USA side reached 139-8 off 20 overs replying to Barbados’ 139 all out in 19.5.

Kirk Edwards (43) and Jonathon Carter (23) were the only batsmen to offer fight as off-spinner Deon Ferrier had 4-26 in an excellent spell and got support from Cush (2-21).

In the Bowl out over, USA made 9-1 off Dwayne Smith but Cush restricted the Bajans to 5-0 off his 6 balls as the USA, led by former Guyana youth player Steve Massiah, who was run out for 12, ended their trip to Guyana on a winning note.

After the final, most of the fans partied the night away at the Chutney/Soca show in the outer area of the Stadium and GCB President thanked the fans for coming out and the players for their participation.

The event was wonderfully organized by the GCB and all monies raised will go towards funding programmes for Guyana’s cricket development.

 

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