Guyana and Barbados face off today

Feb 20, 2015 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Barbados in Association with Western Union, Carib Beer and Meet Your Match Dating Service
The Guyana Jaguars lead the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Four-Day cricket Franchise tournament

with 92 points after six rounds and will hope to give Guyana a 45th Republic Anniversary gift with their sixth win for the season in their seventh round contest which is scheduled to end on Mashramani day.
Today from 10:00hrs at the Kensington Oval on the 166 sq ml Island of Barbados the Jaguars face defending Champions Barbados Pride, who occupy the second spot on 77 points in what promises to be pulsating contest.
When the two teams last met at this level, in the third round at Providence last year, the Jaguars dominated the match for three days with Anthony Bramble (73) and Shemron Hetymer (47) batting positively as the Jaguars reached 261 in their first innings before left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul destroyed the Bajans with 8-26 as they collapsed for 101.
With the Jaguars needing just 69 to win from the entire final day, the home team seemed well placed to register their first win against Barbados in Guyana since 1984 when a century from Andy Jackman and an 11-wicket match haul from Roger Harper led the South Americans to a nine-wicket win.
However, a horrendous batting display saw them being bowled out for 66 as the Jaguars crashed to their only defeat in the tournament. But after gaining three consecutive wins on the road, against the Red Force, Jamaica and the Hurricanes, the Jaguars arrived here a confident bunch and well placed to push for their seventh Regional First-Class title and first since 1998.
When they last played at this venue in 2012 Guyana defeated the host as Narsingh Deonarine snatched 7-26, exposing the Bajans vulnerability to spin but even without Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Dwayne Smith and Suleiman Benn who are all with the West Indies World Cup team, the Bajans, on the back of victories at Kensington oval over the Windwards, the Leewards and T&T in their last three matches, will come into today’s game on a high.

With four matches remaining the Windwards (64), Jamaica (57) remains the biggest challenge to Guyana and Barbados in the race for the title. Narsingh Deonarine hit back-to-back centuries in the first two games and also became the fourth Guyanese to score a ton and take five wickets in the same game in the match against the Windwards.
Deonarine took his runs tally to 342 from five matches with two centuries and will offer spin support to leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who boasts the best bowling figures by a Guyanese in First-Class cricket (9-78) and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who has two eight-wicket hauls in this tournament.
Permaul is the tournament’s leading wicket taker with 43 victims while Bishoo is next in line with 30. Ronsford Beaton and Keon Joseph are genuinely quick and will have medium pace back up from all-rounders Chris Barnwell and Bajan left-armer Raymond Reifer, who plays his second match against his home team.
While all the bowlers have bowled well, the problem for the Jaguars is finding that knock-out punch when the opposition is on the ropes since in both of their games for the year (in Jamaica and Antigua) the last pair featured in half-century stands.
While Singh (228 runs from four matches) has the only other hundred by a Guyanese, Shiv Chanderpaul (268 from 4 matches) is again expected to provide the glue which holds the innings together while Rajendra Chandrika (259 from 5 matches), Leon Johnson (233 from 4), Barnwell (220 from 6), Bramble (189 from 6), Reifer (176 from 6) and Permaul (167 from 6) are all capable of getting big scores.
Barbados, the most dominating side in Regional cricket with 20 tittles, have a powerful line-up which is expected to be spearheaded by wicket-keeper Shane Dowrich, the only batsman to reach 400 runs so far and one of four batsmen in the Barbados side to get centuries this season.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Royston Chase both have over 300 runs from four matches and both have reached a three-figure score while Shai Hope is the other batsman in their side with a ton this season. Kirk Edwards will want to score big to regain his place in the West Indies team.
All-rounder Carlos Braithwaite leads the pace attack with 19 victims so far while left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican is their leading wicket taker with 20 scalps. They should get support from Miguel Cummins, Tino Best, Ashley Nurse and Kevin Stoute.
Guyana Jaguars: Leon Johnson (Captain), Rajendra Chandrika, Narsingh Deonarine, Raymond Reifer, Anthony Bramble (wk), Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Ronsford Beaton, Vishal Singh, Shiv Chanderpaul, Shemron Hetymer, Keon Joseph, Rayon Griffith (Asst Coach/Manager), Esuan Crandon (Coach).
Barbados Pride: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Tino Best, Carlos Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Kyle Corbin, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Kirk Edwards, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Kevin Stoute, Jomel Warrican.
In the other round 7 matches, Leewards Hurricanes will face Windwards Volcanoes at the Beausejour Cricket Ground while Jamaica Franchise will entertain T&T Red Force at Sabina Park.

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