Jan top scores as TT stutter

NEW AMSTERDAM: Guyana with a consistently penetrative bowling performance, routed Trinidad and Tobago for a paltry total in their fifth round Carib Beer Series regional match at the Albion Community Centre ground in Berbice, Guyana, but then faltered badly at the close of the first day’s play.

 In response to Trinidad and Tobago’s first innings 143, Guyana lost both openers to end the day on 19 for two with both wickets going to allrounder Dwayne Bravo.  Trinidad and Tobago’s captain Imran Jan won the toss was only Trini batsman to show any resolve in compiling a fighting 73. All the other batsmen fell for under 20, and only two got into double figures. On a pitch that offered no devils but played low for the first day, medium pacer Damodar Daesrath stuck to a restrictive line and length to secure four wickets for 17 runs from 18 overs, 10 of which were maidens.

 His most prized scalp would have been that of Jan, who he trapped leg before wicket in the 59th over of the day. By then the Trinidad and Tobago captain and opener had smoked nine fours in his marathon 171 ball innings. Before lunch, he watched the fall of the Ganga brothers, Sherwin and Test batsman Daren, and Bravo for 50 runs, then another three wickets in the next session for another 79 runs.

On the stroke of the first interval the prize wicket of Bravo, the tournament’s leading scorer, was gifted to the Guyanese. He played an expansive and very loose drive to Zaheer Mohamed in for his first over and was deceived and bowled. His 18, with two boundaries, was the second best score, underscoring the lame Trinidad and Tobago batting effort. The younger Ganga went for a duck in the first over of the day, caught behind trying to drop his bat on a sharp Reon Griffith delivery rising on the left hander. Twenty-one runs later, Daren was bowled behind his legs by a brutish Daesrath off cutter for 11.

The most productive partnership of the day was the 37 runs for the sixth wicket just before tea between Jan and wicket-keeper Gibran Mohamed (8). After lunch, Aneil Kanhai spent only two deliveries at the crease before he went onto the backfoot and was struck plumb lbw to give captain Neil McGarrell his only wicket, and a diving Griffith at mid off scooped up Shazam Babwah (9) off Mohamed to leave Trinidad and Tobago struggling badly at 86 for five. After tea, the Guyanese mopped up the innings with efficient ease, Daesrath snatching three wickets while Mohamed took his third. Mohamed with his looping off spin supported competently taking three for 38 from 9.4 overs.

Guyana needing to negotiate 11 overs until the close of play made a tough task of the job losing the openers for 19 runs. Sewnarine Chattergoon (10) flashed at the medium pace of Bravo in his first over and dragged it on. Then what should have been the penultimate delivery of the day was made into the last when it was gently patted by Krishna Arjune (1) into Sherwin Ganga’s hands at forward short leg.

Bravo ended with two wickets for no runs from 2.5 overs and looks in menacing form along with medium pacer Reyad Emrit, whose three overs were cost no runs and off spinner Amit Jaggernauth, bowling two overs for three runs. Marlon Black continues to struggle, bowling five no balls in his three overs, which cost 15 runs. With Narsingh Deonarine at the wicket on two and two frontline batsmen to come, along with a trio of all rounders, Guyana will be satisfied with their day’s work and fell that first innings points is theirs for the taking.