Deonarine’s unbeaten 65 spurs Guyana to KFC one-day win
By Vemen Walter at Albion
Guyana Chronicle
February 3, 2007
NARSINGH Deonarine fashioned an elegant unbeaten half-century to spur Guyana to a comfortable six-wicket victory over the Leeward Islands in their fourth round encounter of the 2007 KFC Cup Regional 50 Overs Tournament, played yesterday at the Albion Community Centre ground.
Man-of-the-match Deonarine and fellow left-hander Assad Fudadin featured in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand that produced 100 runs, guiding their team to victory with 3.4 overs still at their disposal.
The Leeward Islands on the back of a brilliant exact 100 from 25-year-old Shane Jeffers had rattled up a challenging 233 for eight at the conclusion of their 50 overs of which the Guyanese replied with 234 for four.
Guyana have now taken their points tally in the tournament to eight while the Leewards are still without a point from four matches.
Jeffers became the second Leeward Islands batsmen to register a century in this year’s tournament, following Sylvester Joseph’s even 100 at the expense of Jamaica in the first round.
The burly left-hander occupied the crease for 135 deliveries, blasting nine fours, having put on 82 for the third wicket in 22 overs with skipper Joseph and 60 in 8 overs for the fifth wicket with Omari Banks.
However, it was Deonarine’s 77-ball 65 which contained six fours that made the difference to the eventual outcome as the Berbician in alliance with Fudadin treated the large crowd with some scintillating strokeplay.
Deonarine and Fudadin join forces in the 29th over with Guyana in a spot of bother on 134 for four when Ramnaresh Sarwan (17), cutting at a ball from paceman Adam Sanford that was too close to him, was bowled off the inside edge.
Sanford had, prior to that, also removed Sewnarine Chattergoon (9) and Travis Dowlin (49), to finish with three for 40 while medium pacer Kerry Jeremy, who accounted for Royston Crandon trapped in front of his stumps for a fine 40, had one for 32.
Chattergoon pulled a short ball into the hands of Codville Rodgers at square-leg in the third over of the home team’s run chase at 19 for one before Dowlin (54 balls, two fours) and Royston Crandon (65 balls, two fours and a six) added a valuable 75 in 16 overs that took the score to 134 when Dowlin edged a lifting delivery to wicketkeeper Jason Williams.
Earlier, Jeffers’ century held the Leeward Islands together after the visitors won the toss and took first strike on a placid track in sunny conditions.
Losing the wickets of openers Rodgers (4), stumped by wicketkeeper Darwin Christian off a wide in the second over (the first being bowled by off-spinner Royston Crandon, who shared the new ball with his elder brother Esaun) and Maxford Pipe (6) comprehensively bowled with one that cut back sharply from outside the off-stump from fast bowler Esaun Crandon, the Leewards were reduced to 24 for two in the fifth over.
Opening his account with a smashing square cut that raced across lightning fast for his first boundary, Jeffers in company with Joseph batted enterprisingly, bringing up the Leewards’ 50 off 12.4 overs and their 100 in 24.4 overs before Joseph was run-out for 36.
Trying to stretch a single into a double, Joseph failed to beat a pinpoint Royston Crandon’s throw to the wicketkeeper from deep backward square, terminating a knock that lasted 62 balls decorated with three fours and leaving the Leeward Islands in the 27th over on 106 for three.
It then became 107 for four in the next over when Tonito Willett (1) offered a return catch to Dion Ferrier, off the second delivery bowled by the off-spinner.
Severe on anything short or over-pitched, Jeffers arrived at his fifty from 69 balls and by that time had struck three fours and a five, and, in partnership with the lanky Banks, motored along nicely, pushing the score past the 150 mark (35.1 overs).
While Joseph continued to be the aggressor, Banks was willing to play a supportive role but at the same time was quick to capitalise fully on anything loose as he clearly exhibited when he smacked a full-length delivery from left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul high over long-off for a huge six.
With the pendulum swinging in the Leewards’ direction, Guyana were able to pull things back when leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo struck a double blow in the 36th over, removing Banks (23) and Williams for a duck off consecutive deliveries.
Banks, attempting to repeat a spanking shot that went high over the bowler’s head for four, had his stumps scattered, failing to negotiate a googly while Williams was bowled behind his back, sweeping at a longhop. At that stage the Leewards had slumped to 167 for six.
Reaching his century with a simple push into the off-side for a single from the 132nd delivery faced and by then extending his tally of fours to nine, Jeffers in an effort to accelerate the scoring fell three balls later, bowled by Ferrier, missing a big hike, departing with the scoreboard reading 188 for seven in the 45th over.
Teenager Justin Athanaze helped himself towards the end with a composed 43 from 34 balls, hitting two fours and an equal amount of sixes in adding 43 with Jeremy, who contributed 8, before being well caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Permaul off Nagamootoo in the last over of the innings.
The Leewards scored 46 runs in the last five overs arriving at their 200 in 46.5 overs.
Nagamootoo’s three wickets cost him 31 runs while Ferrier had two for 60, both from their allotted 10 overs. (See scoreboard on page 26)
GUYANA v LEEWARDS
LEEWARD ISLANDS innings
C. Rodgers stp. Christian b R. Crandon 4
M. Pipe b E Crandon 6
S. Jeffers b Ferrier 100
S. Joseph run-out 36
T. Willett c & b Ferrier 1
O. Banks b Nagamootoo 23
J. Williams b Nagamootoo 0
J. Athanaze not out 43
K. Jeremy c Permaul b Nagamootoo 8
A. Sanford not out 0
Extras: (lb-6, w-6) 12
Total: (8 wkts, 50 overs) 233
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-24, 3-106, 4-107, 5-167, 6-167, 7-188, 8-231.
Bowling: E. Crandon 7-1-23-1, R. Crandon 9-0-38-1, Deonarine 5-0-31-1, Nagamootoo 10-0-31-3, Permaul 9-1-44-0, Ferrier 10-0-60-2.
GUYANA innings
S. Chattergoon c Rodgers b Sanford 9
R. Crandon lbw b Jeremy 40
T. Dowlin c wkp. Williams b Sanford 49
R. Sarwan lbw b Sanford 17
N. Deonarine not out 65
A. Fudadin not out 35
Extras: (lb-4, b-2, w-13) 19
Total: (4 wkts, 46.2 overs) 234
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-94, 3-124, 4-134.
Bowling: Sanford 9.2-0-40-3, Baker 9-0-54-0, Jeremy 7-0-32-1, Athanaze 10-0-52-0, Willett 10-0-44-0, Pipe 1-0-6-0.
Points: Guyana 4, Leewards 0