NAGICO Regional Super50 cricket…Guyana Malta Supreme face Barbados for place in final

Feb 13, 2014 Sports

---

By Sean Devers in Trinidad In Association with Digicel, Carib Beer,
Giftland Office Max, Payless Variety Store & Leisure Inn & Car Rentals 

When Guyana last won the title it was Barbados they defeated by seven runs on the Duckworth/system in near darkness at Bourda in the 2005 final after Sewnarine Chattergoon’s 119 spurred them to 247-7 from 49 overs in reply to 249-8 made by Barbados off 50 overs to hand the hosts their ninth title at this level.

A crucial boundary off left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn in the 49th over by Neil McGarrell (who also took 3-57) pushed Guyana in front when Umpires Billy Doctrove and Norman Malcolm stopped the match because of bad light.
The last of Barbados’ six titles was achieved in 2010 after the first ever tie in a Regional 50 overs final left the Leeward Islands celebrating and the Bajans almost in tears.
The title was shared after a dramatic end to the low scoring contest as Sabina Park. Chasing 139 for victory Barbados were fairly comfortably placed at 124-6 before they lost their last four wickets for 15 runs with last man Tino Best being inexplicable run out trying to steal a bye with the scores level and 12 overs left.
Today at the Queens Park Oval in front of what could be a large partisan Guyanese contingent, the two teams clash in the semi-finals of the NAGICO Regional Super50 competition in a Day/Night affair to decide who will face –Trinidad and Tobago in Saturday’s final and especially Barbados, will hope for no more heart breaks.
In their last meeting at this level Barbados won by five wickets at the Kensington Oval last year with only Leon Johnson and Assad Fudadin passing 20 for Guyana who crumbled to the spin of Ashley Nurse (4-22), falling for 111.
The Bajans overcame an early scare as Paul Wintz (3-40) and Ronsford Beaton (2-29) reduced them to 64-5 before Jonathon Carter (38*) and Shane Dowrich (28*) saw them to safety.
The Guyana camp was confident ahead of the ‘final-four’ stage of the tournament and Coach Crandon revealed that the four players who were affected by the ‘flu’ (Sarwan, Fudadin, Johnson and Deonarine) should be back to full fitness in time for today’s semi-final.
Surprisingly, in a team with fast bowlers Fidel Edwards, Jason Holder, Carlos Braithwaite, Kevin Stout, Dwayne Smith and Best, spinners Benn and Nurse (who has the lone 5-wicket haul in the competition) have been the most successful bowlers for Barbados as the pitches got slower as the tournament progressed.

Best has not yet played a match but if there is grass on the pitch he could be included today since the Guyanese are generally uncomfortable to short pitched bowling.
Despite missing a match each Ramnaresh Sarwan (151) and Shiv Chanderpaul (144) are among the top three leading run scorers this year with half-centuries in both of their matches and should play key roles today.
Sarwan needs one more ton to share the record of most tons in the entire tournament with Brian Lara (4) and if the openers could build a firm foundation and Barnwell and Johnson again fire at the ‘death’ Sarwan could have two more matches to achieve the feat this year.
Trevon Griffith and Fudadin both scored fifties but they are the only two batsmen in the team (apart from Deonarine who has struggled badly) to have a strike rate of less than 60 and need to demonstrate more urgency when they bat.
Deonarine is the last Guyanese to register a century in Regional 50-over cricket. His unbeaten 102 against Barbados in 2009 was full of class, but his form has slumped with him managing just two runs from two matches. Deonarine, Robin Bacchus and Fudadin, could be the men on the bench today.
Royston Crandon is one of 11 Guyanese to score a ton at this level but he did so in his debut game in 2006 and could get one more chance to justify his place in the side. Guyana will hope to eliminate as much ‘dot balls’ as possible today when they bat on what should be a lightning fast outfield.
Like they did last year, Beaton, arguably the quickest bowler on show this year along with Wintz, should test the Bajan top order while medium pace support should come from Barnwell and spin from Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo and Crandon.
Beaton, earmarked to become the first Essequibo player to play International cricket, is the leading wicket taker in the tournament with seven scalps, while Permaul (6) has lent good support.  Wintz and Bishoo have four wickets each although Bishoo has not produced his best so far.
Barbados don’t play spin bowling too well and if Permaul and Bishoo, both with Test experience, extract turn and bowl with control the Bajan batsmen could have plenty of headaches.

The left-handed Carter is one of three batsmen to score hundreds in this competition and his accomplished 109 against Trinidad and Tobago was a joy to watch and stunned the biggest crowd of the tournament into silence as the Bajans beat the home team.
Dwayne Smith’s pugnacious 83, was also scored in that game and they are the only two Bajan batsmen to register fifties. They will hope for support from Rashidi Boucher, Dowrich, Stout, Holder and Carlos Braithwaite
Opener Kraigg Braithwaite models his batting on Chanderpaul and while he exhibits wonderful temperament he does not possess Chanderpaul’s vast experience and restricting his scoring should not be problematic for the Guyanese bowlers.
In 32 Regional 50-over games against Barbados, Guyana have won 16 and lost 14 with two games ending in no-results and the other one being abandoned.
When the dust settles tonight, the Guyana Malta Supreme from the continent of South America will hope that their victory margin against Barbados is increased to 17 wins.
BARBADOS: Kevin Stoute (captain), Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Rashidi Boucher, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Shane Dowrich (wicket-keeper), Fidel Edwards, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Smith, Kenroy Williams; Hendy Springer (coach)
GUYANA MALTA SUPREME: Christopher Barnwell (captain), Shiv Chanderpaul (vice captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Anthony Bramble (wicket-keeper), Robin Bacchus, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz; Esuan Crandon (coach)

---

---