Brilliant Chanderpaul (77) fails to save Struggling Guyana

Feb 16, 2010 Sports

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As Barbados keep title hopes alive with 58-run win

Prolific West Indies left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul taught the few fortunate enough to be at Albion yesterday a fantastic lesson on the construction of an innings but it appeared that very few of the Guyana batsmen attended classes as the host crashed to a 58-run defeat against Barbados on the final day of their Regional 4-day match. The 35-year-old with 8,669 runs from 123 Tests at an average of 48.70 and an average of 53.85 from 248 First Class matches, batted magnificently as he blossomed from a workman-like start where he worked the ball into the gaps with an array of enterprising shots in an impressive, but futile 92-run 8th wicket partnership with Off-spinner Zaheer Mohamed, who hit a career best unbeaten 58 from 112 balls with 10 fours.
Chanderpaul fell 23 short of his 52nd First Class ton and his 77 came from 134 balls, 189 minutes and was decorated with 9 fours.
Set 329 for an unlikely win, Guyana fell for as their 3rd consecutive defeat in four matches, 5 minutes before Tea but it was a commendable Guyana lower order fight-back as 24-year-old Mohamed and last man Brendon Bess (20 with 5 fours) added 36 for the last wicket to frustrate the Bajans who now move to 45 points with their 3rd outright win this season.
They now face defending champions and tournament leaders Jamaica (48 points) in their final game at the UWI ground in Trinidad from Friday.
Guyana, in the cellar position with 7 points, leave today for Trinidad where they face the Leewards from Friday in Couva before traveling to Grenada for their final game against the Windwards the following Friday.
Guyana began the final day on 59-3 in sweltering heat, needing another 270 for victory and quickly slumped to 85-6 on a track which was still very good for batting although the odd-ball kept low.
Royston Crandon was controversially caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn for a duck at 59-4. Night Watchman Davendra Bishoo (18) then edged Corey Edwards to the keeper to leave the score on 77-5 before another shocking Umpiring decision from Khemraj Barrasingha sent Chris Barnwell (6), who TV replays confirmed was hit very high, packing as Guyana sank into further trouble.
A spattering of spectators on the first working day of the week watched Chanderpaul, strangely batting at number 6 instead of number 4 where his experience and common sense would have been more beneficial for the young batsmen, demonstrate wonderful temperament with deft nudges and firm pushes into gaps on the fast outfield at the start of his innings. Unfortunately, few of the Guyana batsmen seem to be learning anything from Chanderpaul.
Derwin Christian lofted Benn into the canal behind the commentary booth before off-driving Corey Edwards over long-off for another six in the next over. Christian continued to play aggressively while Chanderpaul’s bat looked as broad as the sight screen as the pair revived the position and kept hopes of a sensational Guyana win alive with a 52-run 8th wicket partnership.
However, with Chanderpaul well set at the other end and lunch approaching, Christian played an irresponsible drive to a wide ball from Pedro Collins and was caught behind for 28 from 37 balls with a four and 2 sixes to leave the hosts on 137-7.
By Lunch Mohamed, who played a glorious cover drive off Tino Best for 4, was unbeaten on 15 while Chanderpaul was not out on a solid 36 with Guyana on 158-7 with 171 required for victory.
After Lunch the Guyanese put the Bajans under pressure with sensible batting and as more appeals were turned and Chanderpaul’s bat looked broader as the afternoon progressed, the frustration of the Bajans became noticeable.
A raucous appeal for caught behind off a ball which clearly came off Chanderpaul’s pad from Collins was followed up by a cracking square cut by the master left-hander who soon smashed the left-arm pacer majestically through extra cover like a bullet for another boundary.
Mohamed, dropped on 22 off Corey Edwards by the Keeper, steered a boundary to 3rd man and together with Chanderpaul took Guyana to 229-8 before Chanderpaul tried to drop his bat out of harm’s way from a ball which bounced on him from Kevin Stout and was caught behind to the delight of the Bajans.
Permaul (0) was soon removed by Stout at 234-9 and although Bess threw his bat around for a cameo 20 and Mohamed, in his first game for the season and 10th at this level, showed up the top order batsmen, Guyana slumped to defeat as Stout had Bess taken at slip. Best was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his first innings 6 wicket haul.
Meanwhile, the selectors yesterday announced that Assad Fudadin and Keon Joseph have been included in the 13-man squad to travel today.
Vishaul Singh, Chris Barnwell and Trevor Benn, who seems very unlucky to be dropped without playing a game, are the players left out from the 14-man squad in Albion.

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