Windward’s struggle to 4-wkt win against Guyana

Feb 21, 2011 Sports

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– as Bishoo & Permaul stage fight-back

By Sean Devers in St Vincent
In Association with Digicel & Queensway

The Arnos Vale track was not the best to bat on but the batting of both sides left much to be desired as the Windward’s struggled to an unconvincing four-wicket victory against Guyana after lunch on the penultimate day of their Regional four-day clash here yesterday.
Scores:-Guy: 142 &138, W/Wards 223 & 60-6

Set 58 to win after a 44-run last wicket partnership had rallied Guyana to 138 in their second innings, the Windwards stuttered to 60-6 and their fifth win against Guyana in 31 matches at this level as the Albion spin pair of left-armer Veerasammy Permaul (3-16) and leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo (3-20) befuddled the batsmen with bounce, turn and clever variation.
The stands were empty when Guyana, leading by just 17 runs, resumed on 98-9 on a bright Sunday morning and very few expected to game to enter the second session.
But Opener Rajendra Chandrika, who batted at number nine on Saturday due to headaches and vomiting batted attractively in his unbeaten 30 and got excellent support from last man Brandon Bess in a partnership which clearly frustrated the Islanders, who has lost 13 First-Class matches but none since 2003 at Albion against Guyana.
Guyana’s innings finally came to an end when the six feet four inch Bess, who played a solitary Test match against South Africa last year, was caught at mid-on for 14 off left-arm spinner Gary Mathurin who finished with 3-11 to support Mervin Matthew who had 4-25 and Nelon Pascal 2-28.
The hosts, who moved to 19 points from their win yesterday, began their run-chase badly when Dominican Tyrone Theophille (1) was caught at mid-on by substitute Steven Jacobs, driving loosely at Permaul in his second over with just eight runs on the board.
With the experienced Esuan Crandon suffering from a side strain, new Skipper Assad Fudadin used his two spinners in tandem after three overs of pace from Bess and Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher were consistently beaten as they struggled to score.
Charles who just managed two in the first innings was soon caught at backward point by Jacobs for 13 off a thick outside edge as Permaul, a member of the HPC unit in Barbados struck again for the South Americans to leave the score on 20-2.
Keddy Lesporis who top-scored in the match with 46 in the first innings, was clean bowled by Bishoo for five at 31-3 just before Lunch.
By Lunch, the Windward’s, the only Regional team without a First-Class title, were 32-3 with Fletcher on nine and Skipper Liam Sebastien yet to score.
After the interval Fletcher was trapped lbw to Bishoo for 10 after he seemed lucky to have been given not out off the previous delivery and the Windwards had slipped to 32-4.
Homeboy Donwell Hector (1) never suggested permanence and soon edged a cut to the Keeper Derwin Christian as Bishoo, who registered his fifth five-wicket haul in the first innings, extracted prodigious bounce from the two-paced track as the home team sunk to 34-5.
When Lyndon James was caught behind for one off Permaul, the Windwards, whose lowest Total at this level (54) was made against Guyana at this same venue in 1998, were wobbling on the ropes at 35-6 and Guyana pressing for a sensational come-from-behind win with 23 still required for victory.
A vicious Bishoo googlie eluded Christian and went for four byes to carry the Islanders to within 2 runs of victory before Mathurin ended the drama with a spanking boundary behind square to the relief of the Windwards’ camp as he finished on 14 not out. Sebastien was with him on seven.
While the pitch played a part in the low scores and the bowlers on both sides bowled well, impetuous shot selection and poor concentration was a significant factor in only three batsmen in the entire match passing 30.
The poor batsmanship in both of Guyana’s matches so far (Marlon Samuels’ unbeaten 250 was the score above 50 in their first match in Jamaica) continues to be a major cause for concern at the Regional level.
The Guyanese return home with seven points to oppose Barbados at the Guyana National Stadium from Friday in their fourth round encounter and left-hander Gajanand Singh who scored a century on Friday in the rain ruined DCB three-day final at Bourda, could replace one for the batsmen in the side.
An evaluation on Esuan Crandon’s injury will also be done while an update on the medical status of injured left-handers Narsingh Deonarine and Sewnarine Chattergoon is expected this week.

SCOREBOARD
GUYANA 2nd Innings (overnight 98 for nine)
S. Barrington c Mathurin b Matthew      5
L. Johnson c Charles b Matthew             0
*A. Fudadin lbw b Matthew                   0
R. Crandon b Matthew                          20
V. Singh c Fletcher b Pascal                 16
+D. Christian c Theophile b *Sebastien 2
V. Permaul b Pascal                              12
D. Bishoo c wkpr James b Mathurin     23
R. Chandrika not out                             37
E. Crandon c Hector b Mathurin             3
B. Bess c Theophile b Mathurin            14
Extras (lb3, w1, nb2)                               6
TOTAL (all out)                                138

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-1, 3-22, 4-35, 5-46, 6-46, 7-66, 8-88, 9-94

Bowling: Pascal 8-1-28-2, Matthew 13-6-25-4, Peters 8-1-26-0, *Sebastien 18-6-45-1, Mathurin 14.5-6-11-3

WINDWARD ISLANDS 2nd Innings (target: 58)
J. Charles c (sub) Jacobs b Permaul        13
T. Theophile c (sub) Jacobs b Permaul     1
A. Fletcher lbw b Bishoo                        10
K. Lesporis b Bishoo                                 5
*L. Sebastien not out                                 7
D. Hector c wkpr Christian b Bishoo         1
+L. James c wkpr Christian b Bishoo        1
G. Mathurin not out                                  14
Extras (b6, lb1, nb1)                                   8
TOTAL (6 wkts, 30.1 overs)                   60

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-20, 3-31, 4-32, 5-34, 6-35

Bowling: Bess 3-0-12-0, Permaul 12.1-5-16-3, Bishoo 12-4-20-3, R. Crandon 3-0-5-0

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