Deonarine’s unbeaten ton highlights final day

Jan 19, 2010 Sports

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As Guyana and T&T play to a draw in historic match

By Sean Devers in Antigua
In association with Leisure Inn, Carib Beer,
Raphael’s Reality & Tower Hotel

A magnificent century 3rd wicket partnership between Albion left-handers Narsingh Deonarine and his Skipper Sewnarine Chattergoon highlighted the final day of the historic Day/Night regional 4-Day First Class game between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago which ended in a draw under lights here at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium last night.
Deonarine, one of 2 Guyanese on the West Indies team for the limited overs series which starts in Australia next month, celebrated his ODI re-call with scintillating batting after joining the more sedate Chattergoon with Guyana, set 443 for victory, in trouble at 96-3 in the second session.
Deonarine, with 5 Tests under his belt, hit 10 fours and 3 sixes in his entertaining unbeaten 104 from 165 balls and -189 minutes and added 131 with Chattergoon, one of three Test players in the Guyana side to see their team to safety after T&T had declared at 199-8 from their overnight 147-7.
Chattergoon’s 73 came from 233 balls and 269 minutes with 9 fours was just as important to Guyana’s cause yesterday even if it was not as attractive as Deonarine’s on a slow track and fast outfield before he fell to a catch in the deep still hunting victory in the final session.
Scores: T&T 416 & 199-8 dec, Guyana 273 & 265-5.
T&T who lost their last 5 wickets on the 3rd day for just 8 runs declared after batting for 25 minutes to try and give themselves enough time to bowl out Guyana on the last day as they hunted a run rate of close to 4 runs per over for a come-from-behind win.
Imran Khan was removed by left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul for 12 at 164-8 before Rayad Emrit hit a cameo unbeaten 20 while Denesh Ramdin carried his overnight 4 to26 not out when the declaration was made.
Deonarine took 3-41 for 6 wickets in the match and got support from Permaul (2-34) for Guyana, playing in their first match of the 7-team competition after their first round bye.
Watched by a handful of fans in sweltering heat, T&T, who lost to CCC in their opening game in Jamaica attacked the Guyana openers with mostly back-of the length deliveries around off-stump with the new pink ball and Chattergoon in particular was very watchful.
Twenty-year-old Chandrika, a last minute inclusion due to the withdrawal of Ramnaresh Sarwan was more willing to put bat on ball and got going with a delightful cover driven boundary off Emrit and followed it up with an exquisite straight drive for four off the same bowler.
Slim and stylish, the Everest batsman from Enterprise on the East Coast of Demerara, high on confidence after his debut 65 in the first innings, looked untroubled while Chattergoon, still struggling for his best form, stroked Ravi Rampaul through extra cover for four after being struck on his back when he misjudged the height of a short ball as he played no shot.
Just when he seemed set for another good score, Chandrika, who hit 4 fours from 41 balls and 60 minutes of batting, played a terrible shot to Khan and skied a catch to mid-off to leave the score on 33-1.
Test batsman Travis Dowlin (13), who along with Deonarine are the Guyanese in the West Indies squad for next month’s Australian tour, got going with a lofted drive off Ganga for four to long-on but he also threw his wicket away as he attempted to smash the bowler through the off side and gave a catch to mid-off as Guyana slipped to 50-2 with 21 minutes left in the first session.
It was a disappointing shot from a senior batsman who seemed intent on scoring as quickly as possible from the time he came to the crease and his demise made way for the arrival of Assad Fudadin.
By Lunch Guyana were 76-2 with Chattergoon, dropped at slip off Sherwin Ganga on 6, unbeaten on 27 and Fudadin on 8.
After the interval Dave Mohamed trapped Fudadin (14) leg before at 96-3 and at that stage T&T were tightening the screws and closing in on a possible victory.
However, the left-handed Albion pair of Deonarine and his Skipper defied the opposition bowlers until tea with their century partnership with Deonarine playing an array of audacious shots all round the fast outfield.
The small Guyanese contingent at the ground, two equipped with a huge Guyana flag were entertained by high-class stroke play from Deonarine as he celebrated his West Indies ODI re-call with magnificent batting from the time he cut Khan majestically to the point boundary to get off the mark and then followed it up with 2 more delightful boundaries.
Deonarine reached his fifty before Chattergoon and his 30th first-class half-century took just 44 balls, 40 minutes and was decorated with 8 fours and a straight six.
Chattergoon, whose confidence increased as his innings progressed, played the supporting role in the partnership and his fifty took 192 minutes, 158 balls with 6 fours.
By Tea Guyana had recovered to 202-2 with Deonarine, who favoured the cut and was not afraid to use his feet to the spinners, on 74 and the more sedate Chattergoon on 68.
After tea T&T employed the outside leg stump ploy with off-spinners Jaggernauth and Ganga bowling with just 2 men on the off-side to restrict the scoring and Guyana managed just 17 runs in the first 30 minutes of the final session as the lights were turned on.
Chattergoon was then taken at deep mid-wicket pulling at Ganga at 227-4 and Vishaul Singh (14) was run out at 255-5 before Bishoo joined Deonarine who reached his century with a six off Ganga before the game was called off with 6 over the mandatory 15 overs in the last hour to be bowled.
The two teams will now clash on Wednesday in Trinidad in a 20/20 charity match for the Earthquake hit Haiti before going to Barbados on Thursday for the next round which starts on Friday.
T&T collected 6 points from this game while Guyana had 3.
Scores from the other two games:
Jamaica vs Leewards – Jamaica 379/8decl; Jamaica 27/3 (won)
Leewards 188; Leewards 216
Barbados vs Combined Campuses – Barbados 100/2 (Richard 55* Hinds 2*); Barbados 301
Combined Campuses 213; Combined Campuses 187

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