Captains star in exciting one-dayer

A brilliant undefeated 87 by skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul piloted defending champions Guyana to an exciting five-wicket victory over Trinidad and Tobago yesterday in the second round of the regional limited overs cricket competition played at Albion. Set a victory target of 211 runs, Guyana achieved the target with ten balls to spare and closed the innings at 213 for five off 48.2 overs. Despite being handicapped with thigh muscle strain Chanderpaul struck six fours off 117 balls which won him the “Man-of-the-Match” award.

After being inserted on a flat wicket ideal for batting Trinidad and Tobago mustered 210 for seven off the alloted 50 overs. Captain Daren Ganga led the way with a magnificent undefeated 101—  his maiden regional limited overs century and was associated in a 48-run partnership for the third wicket with Gregory Mahabir who made 20 with the aid of three fours off 39 balls. Jamaican-born Ricardo Powell, in his first season for his adopted homeland, Trinidad and Tobago, supported Ganga as they added a significant 87 runs for the fourth wicket which propelled the score from 58 to 145. Powell struct two sixes off 43 balls when he offered a catch to wicketkeeper Derwin Christian off the bowling of Reon King for 41.

Trinidad and Tobago lost two early wickets — Imran Jan caught by Christian off the bowling of King for six and Sherwin Ganga, brilliantly caught at mid-off by Narsingh Deonarine off the  bowling of Griffith for four. The score was 10 for two and skipper Ganga displayed superb timing and controlled agression as he found the gaps in the field at will to carry his team to 210. He struck one six and eight fours off 143 deliveries and surpassed his previous career best of 71 versus Jamaican last year at Sabina Park in Kingston. Allrounder Richard Kelly smashed two mighty sixes off 27 balls and raced to 22 before he was caught inside the long-on boundary off Mahendra Nagamootoo for 22. Right-arm leg-spinner Nagamootoo added another scalp to his regional record tally of 72 as he finished with two for 29 off  ten overs.

Griffith took two for 31 while King had two for 36. Guyana openers Sewnarine Chattergoon (17) and Derwin Christian laid the platform of the Guyana victory with an opening partnership of 55. Christian hit one six and five fours off 38 balls before he was caught and bowled by Sherwin Ganga soon after Chattergoon was caught by Dinesh Ramdin  off Richard Kelly for 17. Chanderpaul promoted himself in the order and took control of the proceedings with deft placement and wristy shots and together with Krishna Arjune posted 65 for the third wicket. Guyana had a minor hiccup when Lennox Cush was run out for five and the score on 120 for four. However, Damodar Daesrath partnered his captain and played the Trinidad and Tobago bowling attack and took the score within two runs off the winning total before Daesrath was dismissed by Sherwin Ganga for 43. The right-handed Daesrath hit one six and three fours of 51 balls. Guyana will take on the Leeward Islands in a third-round encounter today at the same venue.