ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) – New skipper Narsingh Deonarine and Azeemul Haniff stroked vital half- centuries for Guyana to deny the Windward Islands first innings points as their first round Carib Beer match finished in a no-result yesterday afternoon.
Set 393 to claim first innings points in the rain-hit fixture at the Tanteen Recreation Ground, Guyana reached 246 for five when play ended at 5.30 with no decision on first innings.
Both teams picked up four points each.
Deonarine stroked a responsible 56 and Haniff contributed an unbeaten 76.
The Windwards had declared at 392 for eight, 17 minutes after tea on the penultimate day (Saturday) and the visitors crawled to the finish late Sunday with Haniff and Mahendra Nagamootoo (11 not out) batting for 144 minutes in an unfinished 41-run partnership.
Deonarine hammered six fours and a six in 135 minutes from 81 balls and along with Haniff, who batted for 295 minutes, faced 246 balls and reached the boundary six times in his first game at this level since 2003.
Haniff and Deonarine added 88 for the fourth wicket.
Guyana began solidly from their overnight position of 35 for one and Krishna Arjune and Assad Fudadin carried the score to 66 with a confident 44-run partnership before leg-spinner of Rawl Lewis forced Arjune to play an injudicious slog-sweep against the spin, skying a catch high to short cover.
Arjune batted for 158 minutes, 98 balls and hit a solitary boundary in his 36 before he wasted his good start in sunny conditions.
Fudadin (19) was then caught and bowled in the next over bowled by left-arm spinner Denis George as the hosts struck twice with the score on 66.
Deonarine and fellow left-hander Haniff joined forces and took their team to 83 before rain sent the players scurrying off the field 40 minutes before lunch.
Play re-started after a 19-minute delay and Guyana reached 104 for three by lunch with Deonarine (32) and Haniff (6) at the crease.
After lunch, the small crowd saw Deonarine play some delightful shots on the heavy outfield and he soon reached his 19th first-class fifty and 15th at the regional level before he was controversially given out caught behind off Lewis.
With the score on 154 and the partnership with Haniff worth 88, the Guyana skipper, dropped by wicket-keeper Junior Murray off Deighton Butler on 42, was beaten by the leg-spinner and Murray led a concerted appeal for caught behind.
After what seemed like an eternity, umpire Glenroy Johnson raised the dreaded index finger to send an astonished Deonarine on his way.
Derwin Christian joined Haniff, who batted in the middle-order due to an injury he suffered while taking a catch on Saturday, and the pair took the score to 205 for four by tea.
Haniff, in his 47th first-class game, swept Lewis for his fifth boundary to bring up his 16th half-century at this level in the penultimate over before the break.
A magnificent throw from Sammy at short mid-wicket in the first over after tea ran out Christian (23) with a direct hit to the non-strikers’ end with Christian attempting an impossible run.
Nagamootoo joined Haniff with Guyana on 210 for five and the pair, in survival mode, took their team safely to the close with disciplined batting.
Man-of-the-match Lewis finished with two for 45 to follow-up his undefeated century for the hosts, who now face Guyana tomorrow in the opening round of the KFC Cup at the same venue.
WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings 392 for 8 dec. (*R Lewis 101 no; V Permaul 4-83)
GUYANA 1st innings (overnight 35 for 1)
K Arjune c (sub) Etienne b Lewis 36
T Dowlin c Lewis b Butler 6
A Fudadin c&b George 19
*N Deonarine c wkp Murray b Lewis 56
A Haniff not out 76
+D Christian run out 23
M Nagamootoo not out 13
Extras (b4, lb1, nb12) 17
Total (for 5 wickets - 121 overs) 246
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-66, 3-66, 4-154, 5-205
Bowling: Butler 19-6-36-1; Paul 21-5-44-0; Sammy 15-4-25-0; George 25-11-53-1; Sebastien 17-7-33-0; Lewis 20-5-45-2; Smith 2-0-5-0; Shallow 2-2-0-0.