Guyana snatch sensational last ball win against Somerset

Jan 13, 2011 Sports

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– After another poor batting performance

By Sean Devers
in Antigua
In association with
Digicel, Carib Beer,
Leisure Inn, GSL, Queensway &
Dave’s West Indian Imports (NY)

Four Somerset wickets in the final over with 5 required for victory provided Guyana with a sensational one-run win last evening in a low-scoring but spine-tingling Caribbean T20 cricket encounter at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan struck 3 fours and 3 sixes in a delightful 59 from 48 balls but the Guyana batting again failed to spark as the South Americans limped to 112-8 off their allotted 20 overs in windy conditions before an action-packed last over from Esuan Crandon compensated for another pathetic batting display following their crushing first round loss to Jamaica.
Somerset, without key players Marcus Trescothick, Craig Keiswetter and Kieron Pollard, were led by Nick Compton’s 31 before they were dramatically all out for 111; losing their last six wickets for 6 runs as they panicked under pressure.
Somerset were in total control going into the final over on 108-6 but two run outs and level headed work from the experienced Esuan Crandon just pushed Guyana over the line to spark wild celebration among their flag-waving countrymen in the crowd.
Compton, the grandson of former 1950s England batsman Denis Compton, was bowled off the first ball of the last over, irresponsibly attempting a scoop shot while Gemaal Hussain (0) was run out off the 2nd delivery and all of a sudden Guyana were back in the fray.
The 3rd ball produced a single and the next a double before Steven Kirby (2) clipped a full toss to Dowlin at short mid-wicket leaving the last pair to get 2 off the last ball.
George Dockrell missed a big drive and Keeper Derwin Christian calmly scored a direct hit to run out Calum Haggett as they attempted to steal a bye to tie the game. The smiles of relief on the faces of the Guyanese were as broad as the Essequibo River.
Esuan Crandon finished with 2-22 from four while Chris Barnwell (2-19 from 4), Veerasammy Permaul (2-20 from) and Davendra Bishoo (0-17 from 4) all bowled well as Guyana successfully defended their paltry total under lights.
Earlier, Guyana won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions with the new opening pair of Travis Dowlin and Barnwell after Steven Jacobs replaced Sewnarine Chattergoon in the side.
Barnwell (1) did not last long and lofted a drive to mid-off in the 1st over at 2-1 as Skipper Alfonzo Thomas made the break-through.
Watched by a small crowd which included reigning Miss England Jessica Linley, Sarwan got going with a spanking cut for four while Dowlin, Guyana leading T20 run-scorer, smashed Thomas over mid-off for another boundary in the next over before rain halted proceedings at 14-1 in the 3rd over. But Dowlin’s recent T20 struggles continued when he pulled Hussain to short mid-wicket for 7 as Guyana slipped to 18-2 in the 4th over.
Jacobs, playing in his first Caribbean T20 match after scoring two 30s in South Africa, was surprisingly sent in ahead of Shiv Chanderpaul and soon hit pacer Steven Kirby to mid-on before he had scored to leave the Guyanese, the regional T20 champions in 2006 and 2010, in trouble on 23-3 in the 5th over.
Chanderpaul, who did not play on the two occasions when Guyana won, was soon caught and bowled by teenage left-arm spinner Dockrell for 8 as Guyana wobbled to 40-4 in the 9th over as the English bowlers enjoyed the overcast conditions.
Esuan Crandon (9) was soon run out at 51-5 in the 12th over before the classy Sarwan decided to take the attack to the bowlers with an array of vintage shots.
Joined by Royston Crandon, who also batted ahead of Foo, Sarwan clobbered spinner Arul Suppiah for consecutive sixes in the 13th over and then swept Dockrell, who had 3-16 for Ireland against the West Indies in the last ICC T20 World Cup, over mid wicket for a massive six to bring the small crowd to life.
Crandon thumped Haggett for a six over long off before lofting a catch to deep cover in the same over as he perished for 10 and Guyana sunk to 87-6 in the 16th over.
Foo finally arrived and once again failed to the short ball as he got himself into all sorts of problems to a bouncer from Thomas and swatted it high to mid-off after making three to leave Guyana on 94-7.
Sarwan in the meantime continued to entertain and after reaching his 50 celebrated with a glorious ‘inside out’ drive over cover for four when Thomas pitched up.
Derwin Christian joined the 30-year-old Sarwan who was bowled by the impressive Thomas in the final over at 108-8.
Thomas had 3-23 for Somerset who reached 23 in the 5th over in reply before Permaul, who opened the bowling with his left-arm spin, bowled Peter Trego (16) off his pads.
Esuan Crandon tested the batsmen with a few lively short balls before Chris Barnwell struck in his first over when he had James Hildreth caught behind for 5 at 32-2 in the 8th over.
Barnwell, who did not bowl in the first match, struck again when Jos Butler (18) was well taken on the long-off boundary by Esuan Crandon to leave Somerset on 62-3 in the 12th over.
Suppiah swept Permaul for six and then clipped him for four in the in the 18th over before he was LBW for 26 in the same over at 105-4.
Somerset needed 8 from the penultimate over and Craig Meschede (1) and Thomas (0) were both run out in the 19th over to leave the score on 108-6, leaving 5 to win in the last over from Esuan Crandon.
The rest is history as Guyana, who face CCC in their final match in Antigua tomorrow, held their nerve to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat.

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