Bess’ best (5-28) gives Guyana 1st day honours

Feb 05, 2011 Sports

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New Coach pleased with bowling performance

By Sean Devers in
Jamaica In Association
with Jamaica Pegasus
& Western Union

Twenty-three-year old Test pacer Brendon Bess captured his first five-wicket haul with incisive bowling to give Guyana the first-day honours against defending champions Jamaica yesterday in their opening round Regional Four-Day first round cricket encounter at the Alpart ground in rural Jamaica.
By the close Guyana were 32-1, 118 away from the 150 made by the defending champions.
Rajendra Chandrika (12) and Leon Johnson (5) were the not out batsmen after disciplined Guyana bowling led by Bess’ 5-28 and efficient Captaincy from Assad Fudadin had put the South Americans in charge in Jamaica’s backyard.
Only Brendon Nash (29) and Simon Jackson (26) passed 25 for the host who were asked to bat in glorious sunshine on a pitch with some preparation moisture and a slightly rough and heavy outfield.
Bess, who bettered his 4-107 against Jamaica last year in Barbados, got support from spinners Davendra Bishoo (2-51) and Veerasammy Permaul (2-19) for Guyana, without a win against Jamaica at this level since 2006 when they won by 51 runs at Chedwin Park.
Chandrika, who ducked into the first ball of the innings from a very lively Jerome Taylor and Shemroy Barrington, who survived a testing period against the new ball from Taylor and left-arm pacer Sheldon Cotterrell to take Guyana to 25 before Barrington (13), was caught behind off David Bernard.
Earlier, CCC left-hander Jackson, making his Jamaica First-class debut and Danza Hyatt began against the new ball pair of Esuan Crandon and Bess and Hyatt (3) soon edged a well directed short ball from Crandon to the Keeper to leave Jamaica on 6-1.
Marlon Samuels, playing his first First-Class game since April 2008 due to a two-year ban for his involvement in spot fixing, joined Jackson to take Jamaica, who has won four of their last five 4-day games against Guyana, to 38 before Samuels departed for 13 with 2 fours.
Jackson pulled Bess for four and Samuels drove Crandon sweetly to the cover boundary but generally runs were hard to get as Bess bowled a ‘tighter’ line in his second spell.
Samuels looked determined to bat long and a vocal working-day crowd watched as he faced 42 balls in his 67-minute innings before he was stupendously caught by Vishaul Singh at cover off Bess.
His demise was an important one for the Guyanese, without Test players Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon and Travis Dowlin and although Nash got going with his favourite cut shot for a boundary off Fudadin and Jackson punched Bess for another rare four, no batsman was allowed to settle.
Bishoo was introduced 15 minutes before the interval after 21 overs of pace and Jackson’s indecisive back defence to a googlie edged the ball to Leon Johnson at slip 12 minutes before lunch at 57-3. Jackson’s watchful 63-ball 26 lasted 108 minutes and included 2 fours.
Skipper Tamar Lambert joined Nash and they took Jamaica to 64-3 by Lunch with Nash on 13 and Lambert on 5.
After the interval, the heavyset Lambert and Australian-born Nash consolidated the position. Lambert spanked Crandon for a delightful extra-cover boundary and hit Bishoo for consecutive boundaries when the West Indies ‘A’ spinner flighted the ball.
The last time these teams met in a four-day game, Jamaica recovered from 81-4 to eventually make 421 last year in Barbados, as Wavell Hinds and Carlton Baugh both scored tons in a double century partnership.
Yesterday, in cloudy conditions after lunch, Jamaica slipped to 93-4 when Lambert (25) edged Bess to the Keeper to bring Hinds to the middle with his team again in trouble.
With Crandon and Bess sharing the fast bowling duties from the Southern end and Bishoo operating in a long spell from the North, Hinds (1) was soon catch by Johnson at slip off Bess as Jamaica slipped to 97-5.
Guyana, under Fudadin Captaincy, looked well organised tactically and all of the bowlers displayed good control.
Nash, who made 29 from 81 balls and 107 minutes, was taken at short leg off Bishoo at 107-6 as Guyana, enjoying one of their best days in a long time, tightened the screws. Test Keeper Chadwick Walton, on his Jamaica debut, hit Permaul behind point for four and lofted Bishoo for six and along with David Bernard carried Jamaica to 143-6 by Tea.
Without Esuan Crandon and Bishoo due to minor injuries in the final session, Guyana wrapped up the Jamaica innings 25 minutes after Tea as Bess, who played his solitary Test against South Africa last year in Barbados, bowled with refreshing control and removed Walton (15) and Odean Browne (2) to sharp catches at gully by Royston Crandon. Permaul, who only bowled 11.4 overs, got rid of Bernard (23) and Taylor (2) as the Jamaicans collapsed.
Guyana Coach Mark Harper said it took a very good bowling performance to dismiss such a strong Jamaica batting line-up for such a small total.
“It was good to see how well Bess bowled and its just reward for all the hard work he put in at the High performance centre and during preparations for this tournament,” Harper said.
The former Guyana middle order batsman said the moisture in the pitch influenced the decision to bowl first, adding that Bess’ fire and the experience of Crandon combined to exploit the conditions very well with help from the spinners.
A concern yesterday was the absence of a Physiotherapist at the ground when Crandon (leg) and Bishoo (shoulder) left the field and again when Chandrika was hit while batting.
Harper explained that the player’s injuries are not a major concern and it is hoped that the Guyana Cricket Board can arrange for a Physiotherapist to travel with the team for their other two ‘away’ matches since only Red Cross personal were present yesterday.
Guyana left out teenager Ronsford Beaton and Steven Jacobs while the host omitted Andre Richardson and Bevon Browne for their starting line-ups.
The second day’s play is scheduled to commence at 10:00hrs (11:00hrs Guy time) today and Guyana will be hoping to first of all claim first innings points.

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