Dowlin’s 50 helps Guyana to a draw against Jamaica
Carib Beer 5th round cricket
By Sean Devers
Stabroek News
March 4, 2003
The fifth round Carib Beer regional four-day cricket clash between Guyana and Jamaica- the two top teams from last year’s competition- ended in a draw yesterday at Bourda after the visitors had taken first innings points on Sunday.
The home team which moved to 30 points and dropped to fourth place on the points table, was led to safety by a fine half-century from Travis Dowlin and an unfinished 49 run seventh wicket partnership between the Nagamootoo brothers.
Dowlin followed up his elegant 77 against Barbados in the last round and 48 in the first innings of this game by hitting five fours from 126 minutes and 105 balls in his 50 before he was removed by Gareth Breeze at 146-6.
Mahendra Nagamootoo (28) and Vishal Nagamootoo (29), Guyana’s lone centurion this season, then guided their team to the draw when the game ended with 10 of the 15 mandatory overs left to be bowled.
Breeze finished with 3-73 for match figures of 7-147 while left arm spinner Ryan Cunningham supported with 2-32 for Jamaica who move to 27 points and sixth place on the points table.
Guyana, following on, 151 runs behind Jamaica’s first innings score of 387, began the final day on 40-1 when play eventually commenced 100 minutes late due to morning rain in the Capitol city.
In the 20 minutes of play available before lunch, the home team scored four runs to be 44-1 at the interval under dark gray skies with Azeemul Haniff on 21 and Krishna Arjune on 19.
After the break the pair, with solid batting on a placid track took the score to 56 before Arjune again lost his wicket when well set.
The right-hander edged an arm ball from Breeze to skipper Robert Samuels at slip after making 22 as Jamaica, hunting maximum points in the match, made the break through.
Lennox Cush (7) smashed Breeze for a flat six over mid wicket but then played an ill advised sweep at the off spinner and was LBW to leave the score on 66-3.
Haniff who hit four boundaries in his 35 from 173 minutes and 120 balls was then trapped LBW to Cunningham for 35 at 88-4 as yet another Guyanese failed to convert a promising start to a substantial score this season.
When first innings top scorer Andre Percival was then caught at silly point, pushing forward to Cunningham at 100-5 after hitting a six in his eight, the home team appeared in great danger of losing the game outright.
By tea the score was 138-5 with Dowlin on 45 and Vishal Nagamootoo on 11 and Guyana still 13 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat.
Dowlin soon posted his second fifty this season before he became the last Guyanese batsman to be dismissed. His demise made way for the unfinished partnership between the Nagamootoo brothers.
Guyana who take on India ‘A’ in their next game from Friday at Bourda collected three points from the game while Jamaica received six points for their first innings lead.
Brenton Parchment who made 95 in the Jamaica innings was named Man of-the-Match.
But his captain Robert Samuels said after the game that although the opening batsman has now recorded three half-centuries this season and has been batting really well he (Samuels) was disappointed that he has been unable to convert these scores into centuries.
Samuels, who himself made 85 in the Jamaica innings, said that his side was hoping to take full points from the game after making 387 in their innings but knew it would not be easy.
“ Although some time was lost today (yesterday) I don’t think that had a big impact on the result since some time was given back to us. The pitch was easy paced and it was always going to be difficult to bowl out the Guyanese in enough time to win since they have batting right down the order” Samuels said.
Guyana skipper Neil McGarell said that he was very disappointed with the batting performance of his team which resulted in Guyana being asked to follow on.
“ We batted badly and this has been the case through out the competition this season. If we want to win our batsmen have really got to improve on their game, especially the mental aspect”
McGarell said the pitch was placid and the Jamaicans liked pace bowling which forced him not to use his fast bowlers much in the match. He added that his shoulder injury which kept him off the field for extended periods in the game was not serious.
The skipper said that he was told to rest and should be fit for the next game on Friday.
