Guyana secure semi-final place
Donald Duff
in Albion
Stabroek News
March 18, 2003
A tremendous fightback from Guyana saw them snatching second place in the Carib Beer Series competition and securing a semi-final berth in the Carib Beer International Challenge trophy when they defeated the Windward Islands by 73 runs yesterday at the Albion Community Development Centre ground.
In a frenetic finish, Guyana snared the last Windward Islands wicket at 4.36PM in the fifth ball of the third of the mandatory 15 overs in the last hour when topscorer Darren Sammy drove a delivery from leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo where Travis Dowlin gleefully accepted the catch and threw the ball skywards as jubilant teammates rushed to greet him.
Scores in the match: Guyana 412 all out and 161-5 declared; Windwards 307 and 193 all out.
Resuming on their overnight score of 27-0 openers Azeemul Haniff, 11 and Sewnarine Chattergoon, 12, began positively taking every opportunity to push the score along.
The need for quick runs resulted in Haniff’s downfall as the batsman failed to beat Orlanzo Jackson’s direct hit of the stumps and was run out for 20.
Things looked shaky for Guyana when they lost three wickets in the space of one run.
The first to go was Chattergoon who was caught by Devon Smith off Lewis for 35 at 89 for two.
One run later Arjune was caught by Deighton Butler for 30 and then Andre Percival fell for nought driving at Jackson only to be smartly taken by Lews.
However Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Travis Dowlin took the score to 161 when Chanderpaul was stumped off the last ball before lunch.
Chanderpaul’s 47 included four fours and one six from only 42 balls in 51 minutes.
The West Indies batsman took a liking to Jackson, hitting the bowler for three fours and one six taking 16 runs from the five balls he received in the last over before lunch.
Dowlin was left unbeaten on 25 as Guyana declared at the lunchtime score of 161-5.
Set 271 for victory in just about two sessions, the Windwards made heavy weather of it and had slumped to 98-5 at tea before the Guyanese bowlers polished off the innings upon resumption.
The vitors started disastrously losing the leading run scorer Devon Smith off Reon Griffith’s third ball to record his second duck in the match.
They never recovered despite Sammy, 53, Rawle Lewis, 45 and Romel Currency 43.
Sammy’s 53 came from 70 balls in 75 minutes and he struck eight fours while Lewis’ 45 cam in 117 minutes, from 97 balls with two fours and one six.
Nagamootoo ended with 3-58 from 14.5 oversee while Crandon supported with 3-59.
Griffith 2-32 and Mc Garrell 2-42 were the other wicket takers.
Chanderpaul was named man-of-the match.
Guyana have earned themselves the right to stage one of the semi-finals with runaway winner Barbados hosting the other.
