Regional Four-day cricket ...Guyana stumbles to another defeat

Regional Four-day cricket …Guyana stumbles to another defeat

Apr 08, 2014 Sports

Leewards win by five wickets

Needing 278 for what seemed an unlikely win at the start of play yesterday, the Leewards staged a grand come-from-behind five wicket win against cellar dwellers Guyana at the Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua as the penultimate round of the Regional four-day tournament ended.
Resuming on 101-3, still 178 away from victory with three of their top order batsmen already in the hut, Captain Leon Johnson, the only Guyanese with a century in this year’s tournament in only his second match, must have been anticipating Guyana’s first victory yesterday but that was not to be.
Guyana crashed to their fourth loss in five matches after a second 58 from 22-year-old Trevon Griffith, his first fifty in his fourth game at this level, had helped Guyana to 212 in their second innings providing the South American bowlers an adequate cushion for victory.
However the Islanders, reached 279-5 for their second win this season with overnight batsmen Devon Thomas (38*) and Jamal Hamilton (34*) both reached half-centuries with Thomas, who scored 71 in the first innings falling 10 short of his second First-Class hundred.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul removed Thomas who hit 14 boundaries at 168-4 and Zaheer Mohamed Shadir had Hamilton caught behind 10 runs later for 58 but that was the last success for the visitors who managed just four points from the match to remain at the bottom of the heap on 21 points.
Gavin Tonge hit a robust unbeaten 57 and shared in an unfinished 101-run sixth wicket stand with Yannick Leonard who remained to the end on 37 not out in their impressive run chase. Pacer Keon Joseph who took 4-54 in the first innings, finished with 2-46 in the second as the Guyanese bowlers were put to the sword and pushed their team to the second to last spot with 40 points.
Guyana, enduring one of their worst seasons ever, play leaders Trinidad & Tobago in the final round from Friday at Providence.
No Guyanese has reached 300 runs with Assad Fudadin who scored two fifties in 273 from 10 innings and Anthony Bramble with 267 from 10 innings being the only batsmen to reach 200.
Johnson, who only played two games, is next with 187 runs and is the only batsman to have an average (46.75) of over 45. Permaul is the leading wicket taker with 29 wickets.
Scores: Guy (240 & 212), L/Wards (174 & 279-5).