GEORGETOWN, Guyana - (CMC) - An intriguing tussle for points is shaping up at the Enmore Community Centre ground between Guyana and Leeward Islands in their bottom-of-the-table fourth round match of the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series.
Responding to the Leewards’ competitive first innings total of 350, Guyana closed day two on 118 for four built around a battling unbeaten 44 from their talented left-hander Narsingh Deonarine.
When he resumes today, he will have newcomer Damodar Daesrath in his company on 13. Though both have struck just one boundary each, they have spent hugely contrasting periods at the wicket.
Deonarine, with Guyana faltering on 29 for two after losing both openers, hung on and showed gritty application for just over 3½ hours.
While Deonarine’s only four was a lofted shot, Daesrath executed a stunning front foot drive off West Indies fast bowler Adam Sanford that was perhaps the shot of the match.
That apart, Sanford troubled all the batsmen with his swing, pace and accuracy. After rapping Travis Dowlin with inswingers on three consecutive occasions, he finally trapped the newly appointed Guyana vice-captain plumb in front for 28 from 80 balls.
Dowlin, until then, was very decisive in his strokeplay in partnering Deonarine for 60 until Sanford broke the third-wicket partnership at 89 for three.
Sanford finished the day with two wickets for 23 runs from 12 overs of pace and swing on a benign pitch.
Without any addition to the score, Guyana lost teenaged newcomer Leon Johnson run-out for a duck when Jeremy, in following through, deflected an audacious Deonarine straight drive onto the stumps as the youngster was found backing up too far.
Deonarine and Daesrath, batting like an experienced pro, then took the score past a hundred and closed the day together to give Guyana hope of surpassing the follow-on total and get as close to the Leewards’ total.
Starting the day on 234 for five, Leewards added another 102 in the first session at the expense of four wickets including that of their captain Stuart Williams for an aggressive 79. In his top score Williams hit nine fours and one six in his 140-ball knock.
From an overnight 60, Williams played second fiddle to Wilden Cornwall, who remained unbeaten on 59 at the end.
Cornwall’s 95-ball innings included four fours and two mighty sixes into the shockingly sparse Saturday crowd.
Travis Dowlin, the part-time off-spinner bowled throughout the session from the southern end and was involved in all four decisions in the morning’s play. Three wickets went to his bowling, while he teamed up with Deonarine to run-out Virgil Browne for one.
Dowlin, bowling with restrictive control, trapped Williams and Kerry Jeremy lbw and had ’keeper Jason Williams snapped up by Johnson at forward short leg.
Shortly after lunch, attempting a dangerous single, Sanford could not ground his bat before Daesrath whipped a sharp return to the ’keeper and was run-out. He went for 12 and brought the Leewards innings to a close.
He then returned to the field and, in his first over of the day, the second of the Guyana innings, enticed an ill-advised flash from opener Krishna Arjune only to find a thick edge to third slip. Shane Jeffers did not grasp on the first attempt, but did not let the ball spill.
With one wicket down for only one run, the left-handed pair of Sewnarine Chattergoon and Deonarine played with consummate patience and caution to add 28 for the second wicket.
Then with Jeremy returning for a second spell from the north, he produced a devilish delivery on the increasingly slower and lower track to clip the top of Chattergoon’s pads and then onto the off stump
LEEWARD ISLANDS 1st innings (o/n 234 for five)
A. Adams c Dowlin b Mohamed 47
S. Jeffers c McGarrell b Mohamed 63
S. Joseph run-out (Daesrath) 32
T. Willett b Mohamed 1
S. Williams lbw b Dowlin 79
C. Tuckett c Chattergoon b Dowlin 26
W. Cornwall not out 59
J. Williams c Johnson b Dowlin 2
V. Browne run-out 15
K. Jeremy lbw b Dowlin 1
A. Sanford run-out 12
Extras: (b-6, lb-1, nb-6) 13
Total: (all out) 350
Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-137, 3-145, 4-148, 5-230, 6-279, 7-283, 8-318, 9-326.