Windwards spoil Guyana’s semi-final hopes

Jan 19, 2011 Sports

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–  defending champs lose by 2 runs

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

Without Shiv Chanderpaul who was allowed to return home for personal reasons, Guyana’s top order again faltered as the defending champions crashed out of this year’s Caribbean T20 cricket tournament when they lost to the Windward Islands by 2 runs  at the Kensington Oval here in Barbados last night.
Led by a 37-ball 40 from Andre Fletcher and 26 each from Keddy Lesporis and Skipper Daren Sammy, the Windwards reached 138-8 off their allotted overs as Royston Crandon took 2-14 and Davendra Bishoo 2-26 for the Guyanese who were 136-9 off 20 overs when the match ended as Steven Jacobs led the way with 36 from 34 balls with 2 sixes and two fours and Chris Barnwell supported with 3 sixes and a four in a cameo 13-ball 31. The best bowler for the Windwards was Nelon Pascal who captured 3-23.
The South Americans who represented the West Indies in South Africa last year can no longer harbour hopes of a semifinal place or a trip to India for the champions league regardless of the outcome of the other matches because of their poor net run rate after last night’s performance.
Guyana finished their 4 matches with 8 points and the repeated tactical blunders from Coach Ravindra Seeram, the inconsistent top order and the decision to allow Chanderpaul to leave the team combined to help orchestrate the team’s demise.
The Guyanese left out Andre Stoll and Sewnarine Chattergoon as Richard Ramdeen replaced Chanderpaul for Guyana’s third match under flood lights.
Chanderpaul, who opted to play in the English County championships instead of representing Guyana in last year’s Caribbean T20 and left the team in the middle of a First-Class game while batting, to collect an award in Trinidad had also made himself unavailable for both regional T20 tournaments which Guyana won in 2006 and last year.
A small crowd urged on Guyana in windy conditions after they won the toss and opted to bowl first on a track with more bounce than the ones in Antigua.
The Islanders who beat CCC and lost to Somerset in
Antigua could only manage 3 runs from the first over from Veerasammy Permaul while the 2nd over from Esuan Crandon began with a six from Johnson Charles over long off.
Andre Fletcher then smashed the pacer over cover for four and Charles lashed him savagely to the mid-wicket boundary in an over that produced 17 runs.
But the Guyanese spinners tied the batsmen down as Royston Crandon removed Charles (21) and Devon Smith (3) in the space of 5 runs as the Islanders slipped to 32-2.
Lesporis and Fletcher took the score to 88 before Esuan Crandon got rid of Lesporis at 88-3 and Bishoo had Fletcher stumped at 95-4 in the 15th over.
Gary Mathurin (5) was run out at 101-5 while Permaul bowled Lyndon James (7) and Sammy was run out to leave the Windwards on 137-7 in the final over.
Marvin Matthew (2) was caught behind off the final ball of the last over as he cut at Bishoo to end the innings.
Needing to score at just under 7 runs per over to win, Guyana began badly when Dowlin’s miserable run continued when he was caught at cover off left arm spinner Mathurin who also had Ramdeen (10) to leave Guyana on 19-2.
Again sent in as ‘pinch hitter’ Esuan Crandon was not allowed to fire and was caught behind off the first ball from Sammy for 6 at 19-3 while the demise of Ramnaresh Sarwan, who edged Matthew to the Keeper for 4 left Guyana wobbling on 36-4.
Steven Jacobs batted sensible and along with Royston Crandon (17) carried the total to 82 before Crandon hit a Matthew’s full toss to short mid wicket and Jacobs spoiled his hard work with a wild swipe and was bowled as the Guyanese slumped to 82-6 in the 16th over.
Jonathon Foo (7) again failed to reproduce his last year heroics when he was bowled by Nelon Pascal at 118-7 in the penultimate over and when Chris Barnwell was also sent packing by Pascal 4 balls later after hitting three sixes and a four in an exciting 16-ball 31, Guyana had slumped to 123-8 and needed 16 from the last over from Kenroy Peters.
Despite a huge six off the 4th ball from Christian, the pugnacious Guyana Keeper could not inspire another sensational last over win like in their last two matches and the Guyanese could only manage 13 from the last over with Christian being run out attempting an impossible run with 4 to win off the last ball.
Meanwhile, a hurricane unbeaten 21-ball 45 from Marlon Samules with 4 fours and 3 sixes and a 9-ball 21 from Danza Hyatt spearheaded Jamaica to an imposing 85-1 off their allotted 6 overs after they were asked to bat first by Somerset in their rain hit opening match yesterday.
Somerset in reply were limited to 24-8 from their overs as Nikita Miller took 2-4 and Kishmar Santokie 2-4. Jamaica moved to 8 points from 3 matches with the Windward’s to play in their final Zone ‘A’ match tomorrow. Somerset remained on 4 points with their final match being against CCC tomorrow.

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