A fine all-round performance from man-of-the-match Travis Dowlin saw Guyana recorded their first outright win of the 2004 Carib Beer regional first-class competition over neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago at the Albion Community Development ground yesterday.
As he did in the first innings when he rescued his team with a 131-run third-wicket partnership with Narsingh Deonarine which saw Guyana to first innings points over Trinidad, Dowlin again took to the crease in the Guyana second innings with two wickets down.
This time, however, the score was 4-2 and the target a mere 67. Yet the 63 more runs looked as formidable as climbing Mount Everest with former West Indies fast bowler Marlon Black striking two telling blows in his first two overs.
Black, looking more like his old self, got his third delivery of the first over to lift disconcertingly causing Krishna Arjune to edge the ball to Amit Jaggernauth at second slip with not a run on the scoreboard.
In his next over Deonarine, topscorer in the first innings flashed at a ball outside off-stump and was caught behind by wicket-keeper Gibran Mohammed.
Had Shazam Babwah taken a shoulder high offering from Sewnarine Chattergoon off the bowling of Rayad Emrit when the batsman was on three and the Guyana score four, Guyana would have been in further trouble.
As it was the catch was not taken and Chattergoon stayed to see his team to a much- needed victory scoring the winning run by hitting Jaggernauth over mid-on for three.
But it was not all plain sailing, in fact for most of the Guyana innings it was tense stuff as the Trinidadians refused to give up without a fight.
But Dowlin and Chattergoon gradually weathered the storm with Chattergoon driving Black square of the wicket for the first boundary in Black's third over.
Gradually the two batsmen picked up the pace with Chattergoon driving Emrit sweetly through the offside for another boundary to move to 16 and Dowlin playing a beautiful straight drive off Black that the batsmen ran three.
Skipper Imran Jan brought on Bravo to replace Black but Chattergoon greeted his first ball with a square cut for four and then lifted Jaggernauth over mid-off for another boundary.
At lunch Guyana were 36-2 with Chattergoon on 24 and Dowlin 10.
After lunch, the batsmen stepped up the attack with Dowlin sweeping Rodney Sooklall for four and then hoisting Jaggernauth for another boundary. It was Emrit's turn as Chattergoon pulled him through midwicket for four as Guyana raced to 60-2. But with seven needed Dowlin was bowled by Sooklall for 24 leaving Chattergoon to complete the job which he did in fine style.
Chattergoon was not out 41 which came from 62 balls in 90 minutes with six fours while Leon Johnson was not out on nought.
Black ended with 2-12 from five overs while Sooklall bowled two overs both of which were maidens and claimed the wicket of Dowlin.
Earlier Trinidad, resuming on their overnight 169-8 were eventually dismissed for 193 after exactly one hour's play.
Dwayne Bravo, 55 not out overnight was left unbeaten on 68 from 125 balls, in 155 minutes and with seven fours and one six.
Bravo and Jaggernauth held up the Guyana bowlers whilst adding 24 for the ninth wicket before fast bowler Esaun Crandon claimed the last two wickets in the space of three balls.
Crandon first removed the stubborn Jaggernauth who could not resist the temptation to flash at one outside the off-stump and was caught. Two balls later the innings ended when last man Sooklall was LBW to Crandon without scoring.
Dowlin 3-41, Crandon 2-33 and Mc Garrell 2-37 were the main wicket-takers.