Barbados beat Guyana by six wickets to reach KFC semi-finals
defending champions Guyana also through
By Vemen Walter at Bourda
Guyana Chronicle
February 11, 2007
In association with D. Balram (Shane) General Store
BARBADOS, on the back of a responsible half-century from the normally irresponsible Dwayne Smith, coupled with a disciplined effort from their bowlers, defeated Guyana by six wickets in their crucial fifth and final preliminary round encounter of the 2007 KFC Cup Regional 50 Overs Tournament, played yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket (GCC) ground, Bourda.
Smith struck four fours and two sixes in a well compiled 54 from 67 deliveries to set up a successful run chase as Barbados reached 244 for four in 47.2 overs, replying to the 241 for eight off the allotment of 48 overs made by defending KFC champions Guyana, in a match that was cut short by two overs per side due to a slight shower prior to the start that resulted in a 30-minute delay.
The win assured Barbados of the second place spot in the semi-finals, set for Thursday and Friday in St Vincent while Guyana, fortunately, have also booked their place, grabbing the fourth position since Jamaica lost to Trinidad and Tobago by two wickets.
Smith, often being criticised for his reckless approach, shared in an important 89-run third-wicket stand in 14 overs with veteran Floyd Reifer who contributed 29, after Barbados were 78 for two in the 18th over.
Man-of-the-match Ryan Hinds and Alcindo Holder were unbeaten on 36 and 38 respectively, when victory was achieved with four balls to spare, featuring in an unbroken 76-run fifth-wicket partnership, much to the disappointment of a crowd, estimated at around 6 000.
Dale Richards (44) and Wayne Blackman (27) had earlier posted 67 in 15 overs for the first wicket before Blackman was leg-before to off-spinner Dion Ferrier, missing a slug sweep and Richards, whose innings lasted 55 balls, decorated with seven lovely fours, was run-out in a terrible mix-up with Smith.
Leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo (2-62) gave Guyana some hope when he removed Reifer in the 34th over, well caught by Assad Fudadin at long-on with the score on 167, and one run later in the same over he also accounted for Smith, caught again by Fudadin this time at long off. Thereafter skipper Hinds (two fours from 45 balls) in alliance with Holder (four fours and a six from 37 balls) safely guided their team home without much alarm.
Guyana’s total was built around a patient 51 off 72 deliveries from Test batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and knocks of 42 (four fours and a six) from Royston Crandon and captain Narsingh Deonarine with 35 (five fours) after they were sent in to bat on an easy-paced track, in cloudy conditions.
Guyana lost their first wicket in the seventh over when left-hander Sewnarine Chattergoon (15) edged a beautiful delivery that was slanted across him from Collymore. It took the edge on its way to wicketkeeper Carlo Morris with the score on 34. Royston Crandon, in company with Travis Dowlin, batted sensibly and posted 51 for the second wicket, carrying the score to 85 before Dowlin was trapped in front of his stumps by medium pacer Dwayne Smith for 18 in the 15th over.
Royston Crandon was then joined by Deonarine and the pair proceeded in putting together a useful 45 for the third wicket, bringing up their team’s 100 off 18.1 overs.
Both batsmen were quick to pounce on anything short or over-pitched as was clearly exhibited when Royston smashed three boundaries in succession off Collymore, who bowled without much luck, beating the outside edge on numerous occasions.
The right-hander from Rose Hall Town in Berbice disdainfully pulled Collymore wide of midwicket for four, followed by a hook high over backward of square for six and a smashing square cut behind point for another four. Deonarine was not to be left out, executing several crispy straight drives along the ground.
However, with Guyana going merrily along on 130 in the 23rd over, Collymore (2-48), brought back for a second spell induced a flick from Crandon for Richards to accept a straightforward catch at midwicket.
Deonarine departed five overs later - with a mere nine runs added - well taken by Edwards running around at long on as the batsman tried to hit the left-arm spin of Hinds out of the ground. Fudadin (8) never suggested permanency, and shortly after edged Edwards to the wicketkeeper. Guyana had slipped to 154 for five in the 33rd over.
With Chanderpaul not really getting the ball away caused by some tight bowling from the Barbadians, especially Edwards and Hinds, Ferrier, who entered the fray at the demise of Fudadin, tried desperately to keep the scoreboard ticking but upon reaching 14, he failed to negotiate one from lanky left-arm-spinner Sulieman Benn that found him in front of his stumps.
His departure at 178 for six in the 37th over saw Derwin Christian team up with the experienced Chanderpaul in a valuable 36-run seventh-wicket stand. But when it looked as though the home team were about to take control, Christian was unfortunately run-out.
Bent on taking the attack to the Barbados bowling, Christian (19) lofted Hinds back over his head for a six, simultaneously bringing up Guyana’s 200 in the 42nd over but his promising innings ended prematurely when he scampered down for a second run only to look up and see Chanderpaul was not responding as Smith’s throw to the keeper from the sweeper position found both batsmen in the same crease at the non-striker’s end, leaving Guyana in the 45th over on 215 for seven.
In the same over, new batsman Esaun Crandon (1) had his woodwork rocked back by Edwards (2-33) before Chanderpaul finally decided to free his arms, hitting Benn in the final over for four, his first off the 69th ball faced. Then two deliveries later he celebrated his 50 in fine style with an effortless six into the Rohan Kanhai stand.
Nagamootoo was also unbeaten on 6, when the overs expired.
Barbados will now meet the Windward Islands while T&T clash with Guyana in next week’s semi-finals in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
KFC ONE-DAY SCOREBOARDS
GUYANA v BARBADOS
GUYANA innings
S. Chattergoon c wkp. Morris b Collymore 15
R. Crandon c Richards b Collymore 42
T. Dowlin lbw b Smith 18
N. Deonarine c Edwards b Hinds 35
S. Chanderpaul not out 51
A. Fudadin c wkp. Morris b Edwards 8
D. Ferrier lbw b Benn 14
D. Christian run-out 19
E. Crandon b Edwards 1
M. Nagamootoo not out 6
Extras: (lb-7, nb-9, w-16) 32
Total: (8 wkts, 48 overs) 241
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-85, 3-130, 4-139, 5-154, 6-178, 7-215, 8-218.
Bowling: Collymore 9-0-48-2, Edwards 10-3-33-3, Smith 7-0-41-1, Stoute 5-0-30-0, Hinds 10-0-34-0, Benn 7-0-48-1.
BARBADOS innings
D. Richards run-out 44
W. Blackman lbw b Ferrier 27
D. Smith c Fudadin b Nagamootoo 54
F. Reifer c Fudadin b Nagamootoo 29
R. Hinds not out 36
A. Holder not out 38
Extras: (w-16) 6
Total: (4 wkts, 47.2 overs) 244
Fall of wickets: 1-67, 2-78, 3-167, 4-168.
Bowling: E. Crandon 6-0-45-0, R. Crandon 10-1-31-0, Ferrier 10-0-42-1, Nagamootoo 10-0-62-2, Permaul 7-0-42-0, Deonarine 4.2-0-22-0.
Points: Barbados 4, Guyana 0.