Guyana commences with thrilling last-wicket win over Volcanoes

Feb 13, 2022 Sports

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– Permaul stars with bat & ball

West Indies First-Class 4-Day C/Ships…

Kaieteur News – In sweltering heat, it was Tanti Merle at the Oval as the Guyana Harpy Eagles, led over the line by 32-year-old Veerasammy Permaul, who remained unbeaten on 20, clawed their way to a thrilling last wicket victory against the Windward Volcanoes on the final day of their opening round match of the West Indies First Class tournament in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.

It became the tenth time in the last 12 matches that Guyana has beaten the Windward Islands, while the other games ended in a tie and a stalemate.

Guyana’s target of 203 was set after dismissing the Volcanoes for 190 in the second innings. Guyana reached 203-9 with Permaul unbeaten scoring being crafted from 43 balls while, the final wicket, Nial Smith was left unbeaten on five.

The 11-time champions made an auspicious start to the tournament which has been reduced from 10 to five rounds due to the pandemic.

On the final day at the first water break, the lead was 194 with the Volcanoes on 182-8. Kenneth Dember (14) was removed by Permaul as Volcanoes’ first innings top scorer, Preston Mcsween, joined the Larry Edward who was looking well set for his maiden fifty.

However, that was not to be as he pulled Permaul to mid-wicket to leave his side on 190-9, before Permaul removed Mcsween to claim his fifth wicket and give him his 31st First-Class five-wicket haul.

When Guyana began their chase, Chandrapaul Hemraj got going with a hooked boundary off Sherman Lewis before executing an imperious cover driven boundary in Lewis’ next over.

He then deposited Lewis for six over long-on while Tagenarine Chanderpaul supported at the other end with his dogged approach and came off the mark off his 20th delivery.

Hemraj took a liking to Lewis and hit him over cover for another boundary, then pulled him for six before smashing him over his head for four. Guyana was pushed to 32 without loss after that with Hemraj on 28.

Ryan John was introduced into the Volcanoes’ attack that Hemraj kept hammering while Chanderpaul was content to play the sheet anchor role.
At Lunch, Guyana were 40 without loss with Hemraj on 37 from 36 balls and Chanderpaul on two from 31 balls, with Guyana needing 162 runs more to win.

After the Interval Hemraj continued to play his shots on the fast outfield which Chanderpaul, the son Shiv Chanderpaul, was rock solid and the perfect foil for Hemraj, who played a loose cut at a wide ball from John that flew over the slip cordon for a fortuitous boundary to post his 12th fifty at this level.

Hemraj celebrated by hitting John back over his head for four before Chanderpaul played a rare aggressive drive and drilled a catch to cover where West Indies U-19 player Teddy Bishop held a brilliant catch to break the 89-run stand. Chanderpaul was Kenneth Dember’s first in five-wicket haul.

Chanderpaul’s carefully constructed innings of 28 lasted 77 balls before his first injudicious shot orchestrated his demise to bring Shimron Hetmyer to the crease.

Shortly after, off-spinner Dember enticed Hemraj to loft a ball that had nice flight high into air to be caught at long-on, 40 runs short of what would have been his second century. With victory 109 runs away, both openers had thrown their wickets away.

Skipper Leon Johnson joined Hetmyer at 94-2 and together tried to stage save further damage. Johnson and Hetmyer played cautiously to take the deficit into double figures.

Dember, bowling beautifully, struck again when Hetmyer (9) pushed forward to one that bounced and turned; edging it to slip at 110-3.

Johnson used his feet nicely against Dember and clipped him for four off the penultimate ball before Tea when Guyana was 120-3, with their two most experienced batsmen at the crease. Johnson (18) and Vishaul Singh (1) were unbeaten at Tea with 83 required in the last session.

In the first over after Tea, Johnson was bowled by Mcsween with one that came back at 124-4. He contributed 21 from 44 balls.

When Dember removed Anthony Bramble (7) at 139-5 and Paul played a nondescript shot and skied the ball for Dember to take the catch himself to claim his first five-wicket haul, a run later, the pulsating game had taken another turn and was now favouring the Volcanoes who were threatening to erupt as six Harpy Eagles wickets tumbled for 51 runs.

Pestano clobbered Dember for six to bring up the 150, but was dropped by Edward off the next ball as he tried to repeat the shot.

Singh, who struggled to get the ball away at the other end, engaged in a painstaking stand before Pestano (20) was caught in deep off Edward at 168-7.

Permaul joined Singh with 35 needed and it seemed that the Guyanese were playing for draw but Singh, who opted to pull Edward, was caught at 178-8 after taking 75 balls for his 24.

Gudakesh Motie (3) was removed by Edward at 183-9 as Permaul and last man Smith, who arrived with 18 to win from the 15 mandatory overs, began the much welcomed partnership that achieved victory at 5: 39pm.

Guyana will play the Leeward Islands at same venue on Tuesday in the second round match. (Sean Devers)

Scores: Volcanoes (338 & 190) Harpy Eagles (327 &203-9)

 

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