BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) - Barbados narrowly missed out on an eighth straight win in the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series, when Guyana earned a draw on the last day in their semifinal at Kensington Oval yesterday.
Guyana were 148 for eight in their second innings when stumps were drawn for the final time in the match, after Barbados were bowled out for 395, replying to the visitors’ first innings total of 310.
Dwayne Smith, named man-of-the-match, captured four wickets for 46 runs from 25 overs and Fidel Edwards took three for 34 from 11 overs to raise Barbados’ hopes of an unlikely victory.
But Sewnarine Chattergoon, nursing a bruised shoulder, came out when Vishal Nagamootoo was lbw to Edwards for three, and batted with aplomb alongside Mahendra Nagamootoo, Vishal’s brother, to deny the home team.
The result, however, was enough to gain Barbados a place in the final against Jamaica from March 25 to 28 in Barbados at a location to be decided over the next week. The Barbadians are repeat Carib Beer Cup champions for the six traditional, territorial teams and will now look to win their second title in the season for the second straight year.
Ryan Ramdass, who played in the preliminary stages of the Championship for West Indies-B, anchored the top half of the Guyana batting with a classical 60 that was enhanced with some outstanding drives either side of the wicket that brought five fours from 135 balls in 2½ hours.
Ramdass and Narsingh Deonarine batted confidently to take the Guyanese to lunch on 30 without loss and were going merrily along after the interval when Barbados captain Courtney Browne brought Smith into the attack.
The medium-paced bowler struck almost immediately when he had Deonarine lbw for 12 and Travis Dowlin caught behind for four to leave Guyana on 47 for two. But Ramdass continued to stroke the ball with crisp assurance and for close to an hour found a steady ally in Damodar Daesrath.
The two added 42 for the third wicket and the match was meandering to its climax when Ryan Hinds had Daesrath caught close to the wicket off Ryan Hinds’ part-time left-arm spin for 10 and Edwards then removed Ramdass lbw next over to leave the Guyanese 89 for four and breathe life into the match.
Guyana reached 107 for four at tea with their two most experienced batsmen -- captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan -- at the crease.
But Smith made the breakthrough about 20 minutes after the break when Sarwan was caught behind for nine edging a drive as the excitement reached a crescendo.
When Neil McGarrell was adjudged lbw for three offering no stroke to Smith’s inswinger, Barbados moved into position for the kill. They had the dangerous Chanderpaul caught at short extra cover for 21 and Vishal Nagamootoo in the space of a few balls to send the jitters up the spine of the Guyanese.
But Mahendra Nagamootoo and Chattergoon kept their heads and nerves and saw their team through to the safety and give them the privilege of becoming the first team this season to avoid defeat at the hands of the rampant Barbadians, who won all seven of their preliminary matches including a 10-wicket victory over the Guyanese in the opening round.
Earlier, Ian Bradshaw completed his second half-century of the season against the Guyanese when he was undefeated on 50 after Barbados continued from their overnight position of 367 for eight.
Leg-spin bowler Mahendra Nagamootoo took the last two Barbados wickets to end with five for 116 from 47.2 overs.
GUYANA 1st innings 310 (R. Sarwan 121; P. Collins 4-85)
BARBADOS 1st innings (overnight 367 for eight)
K. Wilkinson lbw b Daesrath 15
M. Nurse c wkpr V. Nagamootoo b Daesrath 4
S. Campbell c Ramdass b Dowlin 91
F. Reifer b M. Nagamootoo 9
R. Hinds c wkpr V. Nagamootoo b Griffith 56
D. Smith c Deonarine b M. Nagamootoo 114
C. Browne c Deonarine b McGarrell 16
I. Bradshaw not out 50
P. Collins c Chanderpaul b M. Nagamootoo 15
C. Collymore c McGarrell b M. Nagamootoo 2
F. Edwards c McGarrell b M. Nagamootoo 11
Extras: (b-5, w-1, nb-6) 12
Total: (all out) 395
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-29, 3-50, 4-155, 5-215, 6-270, 7-320, 8-364, 9-367.