Sensational Foo stuns Bajans as Guyana snatch Caribbean 20/20 title

Aug 02, 2010 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Trinidad
In association with Digicel

It was just before mid-night on Saturday but Guyana flags were joyously waved and hundreds of Guyanese screamed in delight here at the Queens Park Oval as 19-year-old rookie Jonathon Foo left his mark on the Caribbean 20/20 championships with an astonishing exhibition of power-hitting and common sense to lift Guyana from the brink of defeat to a fantastic 1-wicket win over Barbados in a pulsating final under lights.
Guyana, chasing 134-5 made by Barbados, looked a beaten side at 85-8 with just three overs remaining before Foo, the first Guyanese 20/20 cricketer of Chinese origin, launched a stunning if not surprising assault on the Bajans bowlers to give the South Americans championship honours, the US$25,000 first prize and the right to represent the West Indies in the Champions League in South Africa from September 10-26.
Foo, who was only last year playing under-19 cricket, exploded with a disdainful array of audacious shots in a violent unbeaten 42 from just 17 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes to stun the shell-shocked Bajans as the spectators went wild with excitement.

Last man Devendra Bishoo then calmly stroked Jevon Searles through the covers for 2 as Guyana reached 135-9 to win with one ball to spare. The crescendo of noise which erupted from the crowd of over 8,000 must have been heard in Georgetown.
Although it was Guyana who had spoiled the T&T dream of back-to-back Champions Trophy appearances by beating them by 4 runs in the semis, the Trinidad crowd was behind Guyana from the time Barbados won the toss and elected to bat in chilly conditions with rain threatening.
Man-of-the series Bishoo was again impressive with 2-14 from 4 overs of high-class leg-spin as Barbados, in their first ever final after losing in the semis to T&T in 2008, were never allowed to score freely on the damp ground.
While Bishoo’s effort left him as the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps it was his Albion club mate Foo who completed the job in a nerve-racking finish to remain unbeaten for the third time in four innings in the tournament.
While there were not as many Guyanese present as when Guyana whipped T&T in Antigua to lift the inaugural Stanford title, the scenes after Saturday night’s victory brought back memories of that life-changing day for many four years ago as the Trinidad-based Guyanese danced, sang and hugged each other in solidarity as Guyana closed in on victory.
The hugs and tears of joy in the dressing room as the Guyanese celebrated showed a team united in their quest to give their country glory and Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan, also the Captain in 2006, said Guyana has a great chance in Africa once the team is prepared properly by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), sending a strong message that the GCB must honour its responsibilities to the players.
Trinidad and Tobago, denied a place in their third consecutive final, began the competition as the favourites but Guyana’s semi-final loss to Jamaica in 2008 is their only defeat in 11 regional 20/20 games and Sarwan’s Captaincy was astute at crunch time.
Off-spinner Lennox Cush was Guyana’s leading wicket-taker before yesterday but his 4 overs cost 47 runs in a rare bad game although he removed Dale Richards (16) who top-edged a full toss to short third man at 27-1 in the 3rd over as the Bajans began with all guns blazing.   Jonathon Carter followed up his 54 in the semis with another half-century and added 36 with Kirk Edwards (16) for the 2nd wicket before Chris Barnwell scattered Edward’s stumps at 63-2 in the 9th over.
Carter, beaten on several occasions outside off-stump from Esuan Crandon with the new ball, struggled for rhythm in his 62-ball 57 but remained undefeated at the end after hitting 4 fours and six after Bishoo removed Alcindo Holder (14) and the potentially dangerous but inconsistent Dwayne Smith (2) in the space of 6 runs as Barbados slipped to 98-4 in the 17th over.
Carlo Morris (7) clobbered Cush for six over long-off but was bowled off the next ball at 105-5 before Carter finished the innings with a six off the final ball off Royston Crandon.
When Guyana’s leading 20/20 batsman Travis Dowlin (8) was trapped LBW to left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn at 17-1 and Sewnarine Chattergoon (9) was removed by left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds, Guyana were 38-2 in the 8th over.
Sarwan drove his first ball exquisitely to the cover boundary as he and Narsingh Deonarine (21) revived the position although they were never allowed to break free.
Off-spinner Ashley Nurse, who joined Jamaica’s left-arm pacer Krismar Santokie as the only bowlers with 5-wickets hauls in the competition, struck twice in his first over by removing Sarwan (26) and Chris Barnwell (0) as the Guyana run-chase stalled.
When Deonarine gifted his wicket to Hinds and Royston Crandon (3) impetuously hit Nurse to long-on, Guyana had slumped to 76-6.
Cush (2) was bowled by Benn at 78-7 and Nurse (5-35) rattled Esuan Crandon’s (2) wicket 7 runs later and the Bajans were already celebrating.  Derwin Christian (7) pulled Nurse for six before lofting the spinner to long-off at 109-9 in the penultimate over to silence the Guyanese supporters.
But those who knew of Foo’s effortless power and witnessed his maturity in unbeaten cameos in the Barbados leg of the tournament still had hope. But with only Bishoo with him and 26 required from 11 balls Guyana’s task was daunting.
When the going get tough the tough gets going and a towering six off Nurse by Foo suggested something special was about to unfold.  The tall right-hander, Nephew of former Guyana First-Class player Michael Chinsammy, had a slice of luck when Larry Babb dropped him off Nurse and parried the ball for six and Guyana were back in the fray.
The penultimate over produced 15 runs and in mounting tension Guyana needed 11 from the final over from Searles. Barbados needed one wicket.
The first ball was savagely cut past point for four while the 2nd disappeared to the square-cover boundary and hearts were racing as fans at the ground and those watching live on ESPN Television around the world witnessed a clinical destruction by Foo who reduced the target to 3 from 4 balls.
A slower ball went past the edge before a sensible tuck to mid-on for a single left Guyana needing 2 to win from 2 balls and brought Bishoo into strike. The rest is history.
If Santokie has been the ‘find’ in the tournament with the ball, Foo, who took the Man-of-the-Match award, could easily join the likes of Kieron Pollard as much sought after 20/20 specialist for the various leagues around the world.
He will have another chance to impress on the world stage in South Africa next month and it is hoped that a squad is immediately encamped and that Guyana’s Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who sent congratulations to the team when they reached the final, keeps his promise of Government support for the team if they qualified for South Africa.
Guyana’s Stanford win, in an elections year in 2006 helped to unite the nation and Saturday’s spine-tingling win could be the injection Guyana’s cricket needs at this time. It is hoped that the GCB don’t waste this glorious opportunity to put Guyana on the World stage as T&T did so wonderfully in India last year.

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