Guyana squeeze past HPC by 3 runs

Oct 16, 2010 Sports

---

…Despite fifties from Chandrika (51) & Powell (72)

By Sean Devers in Jamaica
In association with Mike’s Pharmacy,
Jamaica Pegasus & Raphael’s reality
The result in yesterday Regional One-Day match between Guyana and the High Performance Centre (HPC) was predictable but the process in accomplishing it was tougher than most imagined and should raise concerns for Guyana’s newly appointed bowling Coach Reon King.
The match at the Kensington Park in Kingston went down to the final ball bowled by off-spinner Steven Jacobs.  With 4 to win, Guyanese Test pacer Brendon Bess missed and Guyana, spearheaded by an attractive 79-ball 63 with 4 fours and four sixes from Skipper and Man-of-the-Match Ramnaresh Sarwan, had won by three runs.
Opener Richard Ramdeen, who fell four short of a debut fifty, added 101 for the 2nd wicket with Sarwan before Guyana slumped from 142-2 to 225 all out in 50 overs as 20-year-old leg-spinner Keron Cottoy finished with 4-47 from 10 overs.
Debutant Keeper Anthony Bramble contributed a valuable 30 with intelligent batting and aggressive running while Jacobs made 22 before again throwing his wicket away when set with an impetuous shot to long-off with 6 overs remaining in the innings.
But the West Indies trio of Shivnarine Chanderpaul (4 from 28 balls), Narsingh Deonarine (14) and Royston Crandon (1) all failed to fire on a heavy outfield and a slow track with bounce.
Skipper Shamarh Brooks (2-30) and pacer Shannon Gabriel (2-12) were also among the wickets while Guyanese left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (9-2-26-0) was very impressive, Bess had 0-52 from 9 overs.
HPC reached 222-9 when their 50 overs expired although Guyanese Rajendra Chandrika (51) and Nevis left-hander Kieron Powell (72) set a solid foundation with a century opening partnership against an innocuous Guyana bowling attack missing the services of Chris Barnwell due to a strained hamstring muscle.
Guyana were asked to bat in sweltering heat on a sluggish pitch with preparation moisture and quickly lost Barnwell (4), bowled by Gabriel at 7-1 as their opening woes continued.  Both Bess and Trinidadian Gabriel made free scoring difficult before Sarwan stroked Bess over extra cover for six for the game’s first boundary in the 6th over.
Sarwan pulled Gabriel for his 2nd boundary in the 9th over and repeated the shot in the next over off Bess while Ramdeen flicked the Guyanese quickie for four, two balls later to bring up the 50.
After 10 overs, Guyana, who left out Assad Fudadin, Leon Johnson and Jonathon Foo were 52-1.  Ramdeen welcomed Jason Holder with a boundary over mid-on in the 11th over but Permaul began his spell with a maiden to Ramdeen.
Ramdeen, who made his senior team debut in the final match of the Champions League T20 tournament last month in South Africa, clipped Holder off his legs and dumped him back over his head for successive sixes in the 15th over.   Sarwan was dropped at third man by Rajendra Chandrika on 30 with the score on 87-1 as he steered a short ball from Holder, who saw Ramdeen top edge a hook over the Keeper’s head for 4 in the same over.

The 100 was posted in the 19th over before Ramdeen cut leg-spinner Keron Cottoy to Permaul at point when 4 away from a debut fifty. His 46 lasted 58 balls and included 4 fours and 2 sixes and his demise ended the century partnership in the 22nd over.
Sarwan hit Cottoy for a four and a six to reach his 8th Regional One-Day fifty while Deonarine effortlessly deposited Cottoy for a huge straight six.  The Skipper lofted Cottoy to long-on when seemingly well set for his 4th limited overs century for Guyana and in the 28th over Guyana were 142-3.
Chanderpaul joined Deonarine but at 146-4, Cottoy removed Deonarine (14) in the 30th over. Royston Crandon (1) never suggested permanence against the short pitched bowling of Gabriel and soon top edged a hook to fine-leg as Guyana slipped to 150-5 in 32 overs.
Watched by a handful of spectators, Chanderpaul surprisingly opted to reverse sweep Cottoy after struggling to get the ball away and was bowled at 156-6 in the 36th over.  Jacobs and Bramble then added 36 for the 7th wicket before Jacobs departed off Brooks at 192-7.
Bramble savagely pulled Holder for 4 as Guyana reached 200 in the 46th over before Esuan Crandon (3) top-edged a short ball from Holder for the Keeper to take the lobbed offering at 207-8. Bramble, who batted really well, was leg before to Brooks off the last ball of the innings.
When HPC began their reply Chandrika gloved the first ball from debutant pacer Keon Joseph but Bramble failed to hold the leg side offering before Kieran Powell spanked Joseph to the backward point boundary 2 balls later.  Chandrika smashed Esuan Crandon like a bullet through the heavy grass to the cover boundary while the left-handed Powell majestically straight drove Joseph for four.
The openers batted without much worry against an attack which lacked venom and Chandrika in particular played some lovely shots to reach his 50 first.  Powell was badly miss-stumped in Deonarine’s first over on 38 with the score on 93 in the 25th over and he too reached his 50.
Chandrika was caught and bowled by Royston Crandon at 101-1 as Guyana, without a title at this level since 2005, finally made the break through. Chandrika’s 51 lasted 86 balls and included a solitary four.  Kyle Corbin (8) was stumped by Bramble at 127-2 off Royston Crandon (10-2-47-2) in the 38th over but although Powell was hampered by a leg injury and batted with a runner, HPC continued to keep themselves in the fight.
Devon Thomas brought up the 150 in the 41st over with a straight six off Esuan Crandon before Royston Crandon held a brilliant catch running back from mid-wicket to remove Powell off his brother’s bowling at 158-3 in the 41st over. Powell’s 72 with 2 fours and a six came from 127 balls.
Another straight six by Thomas off Esuan Crandon in the 43rd over kept HPC hopes alive but the experienced Crandon soon bowled the attacking Thomas for a 22-ball 25 with 2 sixes to leave the score on 173-4.
Brooks (0) lofted Bishoo to deep mid-wicket at 174-5 in the 44th over and Guyana were back in control with the required run rate for victory just under 10.  A direct hit to the non-strikers’ end by Esuan Crandon off his own bowling removed Cottoy for a duck at 176-6.
Rain stopped play at 179-6 after 45 overs and after a 30-minute delay play resumed with HPC needing 47 to win form 30 balls.
Nkrumah Bonner clobbered Jacobs for six in an over which cost 11 but Bishoo had Holder (1) caught behind in the 47th over at 191-7.  Bonner’s 4 off Bishoo reduced the target to 29 from 18 balls.
Permaul (3) was stumped off Jacobs in the 48th over leaving 16 to get from 12 balls and after Bishoo’s penultimate over cost just 6 runs, 10 were required from the last over from Jacobs.
The first 2 balls produced 3 runs while Bonner (38) was taken in the deep off the 4th before Bess missed the last one to give Guyana victory.      Bowling for Guyana, Bishoo had 2-35 from 9, E. Crandon 2-55 from 10, Jacobs 2-46 from 8, Deonarine 0-21-8 and Joseph 0-2 from 5.
Barbados beat the Leeward Islands by 4 wickets in yesterday’s other zone ‘B’ match and the competition continues today with two zone ‘A’ matches.  Guyana play their next match tomorrow against Barbados at Sabina Park.

---

---