Poor batting lets down TT

GEORGETOWN: Guyana beat Trinidad and Tobago yesterday, the final day of their Carib Beer Series regional cricket match at Albion in the eastern part of this South American country. Guyana knocked off the required 67 runs for the loss of three wickets shortly after lunch in response to a poor showing in Trinidad and Tobago’s second-innings batting. Resuming at 169 for eight, Guyana quickly wrapped up the TT lower order, taking the last two wickets for an additional 25 runs to set the stage for the team’s first full points of the tournament. Guyana lost their first three away matches and played to a draw in their first home match last week.

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo had an unbeaten knock of 68, including seven boundaries. He was 55 overnight. Apart from Test batsman Darren Ganga who made 42, the remainder of the Trinidad and Tobago top and middle order surrendered to the Guyanese bowlers with an array of careless strokes that made their innings resemble a one-day match between local teams. When Guyana batted, Test pacer Marlon Black removed opener Krishna Arjune for a duck and match top scorer Narsingh Deonarine for one run. But Travis Dowlin and Sewnarine Chattergoon settled the pace down, taking the home side within seven runs of victory before Dowlin was bowled, attempting an offside cut to spinner Rodney Sooklal. The final scores in the match were Trinidad, 143 and 193; Guyana, 270 and 67 for three. Guyana host West Indies “B” in the tournament’s sixth round starting on Friday while Trinidad play away against Jamaica.