Windwards in driver’s seat against Guyana in Regional 4-Day encounter

Mar 15, 2014 Sports

By Sean Devers
The Windward Islands were in the driver’s seat against Guyana when stumps were drawn on the second day of their Regional four-day cricket encounter yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.
Guyana were 187-7 in reply to the 307 all out made by the Windwards with Assad Fudadin leading the Guyanese fight with a confident 82 from 255 minutes and 184 balls with nine fours and a six before he threw his wicket away when 18 short of his fourth ton at this level.
He added 81 with Skipper Shiv Chanderpaul (26) to rescue the hosts from a

Assad Fudadin reaches his fifty with a six.

precarious position of 37-4 before Anthony Bramble (29*) and Devendra Bishoo (22) featured in an unfinished eighth wicket stand of 51 to leave Guyana to get another 120 runs for first innings honours.
The Windwards resumed the day on 289-6 and lost their last four wickets yesterday for 18 runs with Chris Barnwell taking 4-54, left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul had 3-69 and Narsingh Deonarine 2-54 for the host.
Soon after play began, Deonarine trapped Liam Sebastien LBW before he had added to his overnight 60 to leave the score on 290-7.
Kenroy Peters (5) had his stumps scattered by Barnwell at 299-8, while Deonarine got rid of Delorn Johnson (4) at 304-9 before Barnwell finished off the innings by removing Nelon Pascal for a duck as the Windwards lost their last six wickets for 44 runs.
When Guyana began their reply they quickly lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul when the 17-year-old left-hander was well caught low down to his left by wicketkeeper Lyndon James off Grenadian Nelon Pascal before he had scored.
It was soon 1-2 when the experienced Sewnarine Chattergoon (1) edged a catch to second slip off left-arm pacer Johnson to the dismay of the spattering of spectators which comprised of mostly Primary School students.
By Lunch Guyana, with six Regional titles but none since 1998 when they shared championship honors with the Leewards, were 26-2 with Fudadin and Vishaul Singh at the crease.
Singh (14) was next to go soon after the interval when he was trapped in front by Peters and the home team were 36-3. Deonarine, with three ducks in four innings in the series so far, seemed anxious to get off the mark with a gentle push to mid-on and was run out first ball at the none striker’s end by a direct hit from Alston Bobb as Guyana slumped to 37-4 and Deonarine’s horror tournament continued.
Shiv Chanderpaul shares Guyanese record 4th wicket partnership of 305 with Roger Harper against Jamaica in 1996 when he made an unbeaten 303, which is also the only triple century in Regional cricket since 1966.
Yesterday the veteran left-hander, who has played more Tests than any other West Indian, joined Fudadin with his team wobbling on the ropes and exploded with a straight six off Sebastien before following it up with a glorious boundary through the covers off the next ball.
Fudadin brought up his 17th fifty at this level with a six back over the head of the bowler and the landmark took 124 minutes, 104 balls and was decorated with four fours and a six.
The Berbician, with three Tests to his name, played several well timed drives through the off-side and was far more positive in yesterday’s innings, and along with Chanderpaul, dug Guyana out of a dark hole with their accomplished partnership with the 100 coming up in 43 overs.

Shiv Chanderpaul cuts during his 81-run stand with Assad Fudadin yesterday

By Tea, the fifth wicket stand was worth 72 with Guyana on 108-4. Fudadin was not out on 70 and Chanderpaul on 23 and the second session had produced 82 runs and two wickets.
After Tea the ‘big fish’ was caught when Chanderpaul trying to cut, edged the ball that bounced more than he anticipated from Sebastien for James to hold the offering. Chanderpaul averages 95.4 from seven matches against the Windwards and they would have been delighted to see his back.
Chanderpaul’s 26 came from 107 minutes, 73 balls and included a six and a four and his demise came at 117-5.
When apparently well set for a big score Fudadin threw his wicket away as indiscretion got the better of him. The left-hander pulled a long-hop from Sebastien for Devon Smith to take a sharp catch at short mid-wicket to leave Guyana on 136-6 and Fudadin 18 short of a three-figure score.
Barnwell, who got off the mark with a thunderous six and followed it up with a majestic cover drive for four, was caught behind off left-arm spinner Bobb as the South Americans slumped to 136-7.
Anthony Bramble and Devendra Bishoo then batted to the close without further loss to give their team a fighting chance in the contest.