GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) - Ramnaresh Sarwan stroked his highest first-class score and his 12th century as Guyana pounded Kenya on day one of the final preliminary round of the Carib Beer 2004 Series at Bourda, Guyana's premier international cricket venue.
Choosing to bat on a placid Bourda track, Guyana ended the day on 319 for three, with Sarwan on a tormenting 151 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, with a composed 63 at the crease.
Guyana, opting to start the innings with the regular opener in Sewnarine Chattergoon and middle order batsman Narsingh Deonarine instead of the struggling Krishna Arjune, started off the day badly.
In the second over, Peter Ongondo got one to lift as it moved across the left-handed Deonarine and forced him to play at it. He managed to get a nick and Guyana were seven for one, as Deonarine failed to get off the mark.
Thereafter though, the Kenyans were made to pay heavily for dropping Sarwan twice during a 150-run partnership with Chattergoon, who got his third half-century this year.
Sarwan's first life came with his score on 14 when he drove straight through the hands of Hitesh Modi at extra cover.
However he was not bothered by the chance and paced himself well in getting to 50, building a solid partnership with Chattergoon (60).
Chattergoon, after facing 146 balls and slamming eight fours, tried to put away a poor Ragheb Aga delivery outside leg stump and was caught by Martin Suji at backward square to end an innings in which he offered Sarwan commendable support.
By then, the two had resuscitated Guyana's innings to take the score to 157, then with the addition of another 19 runs, the form batsman Travis Dowlin (8) was trapped by off-spinner Steve Tikolo, who did the bulk of the bowling with 24 overs for 68 runs and his solitary wicket.
The trend of one wicket per session did not change as Sarwan and his captain Chanderpaul put on another century partnership, totalling 143 at the close of the day in which the Kenyans were made to suffer at the hands of the Guyanese batsmen.
Sarwan, returning to Guyana's team in the last round after completing his duties with the West Indies in Africa, has so far been involved in three century-partnerships.
He posted 162 with Dowlin in their last game against the West Indies-B and then two yesterday.
In the last game he missed out on a century but he did not make that mistake twice, though he had a second chance just after getting to 50.
When on 59, he edged Aga to Tikolo at slip but was put down.
Sarwan, batting with purposeful application and an unhesitant tendency to punish anything too short or two full, served himself to 15 fours and two mighty sixes.
One of the sixes went sailing out of the ground, over long on, while the other scattered commentators in their booth, almost dead centre, behind the bowler's arm.
Chanderpaul started his innings in an ultra-aggressive mode but then contained himself to picking up singles as Tikolo, the Kenyan captain spread his men on the boundary to prevent fours.
Chanderpaul faced 107 balls and spanked four fours, the first of which was an exquisite drive through extra cover off Aga when he had just arrived at the crease.
The Kenyans’ limited experience in the longer version of the game was glaringly evident, as they seemed clueless as to how to attack or contain the Guyanese Test batsmen.
Tikolo did not get much support from his back up bowlers, especially Collins Obuya, who has been having a poor series and whose six overs cost 39 runs.
Sarwan, batting at number three, spent almost the entire day at the crease, facing 283 balls in just under six and a half hours and led the Guyanese as they seek to bat once in a game in which they must get full points if they are to get a semifinal place. They will also be hoping that Barbados beat Trinidad & Tobago outright in their clash.
With Kenya missing the services of two of their key and experienced batsmen in Ravindu Shah and Maurice Odumbe to fractures, Guyana will feel that any score over 450 should be difficult for the Kenyans to get, even with two attempts.