Sarwan steers Guyana to victory
published:
Wednesday | October 17, 2007
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):
HOSTS GUYANA, led by a fine 70 from Ramnaresh Sarwan, completed a three-wicket victory over the Windward Islands, despite a late stutter in their opening match of the KFC Cup yesterday at the Albion Sports Complex.
Chasing 180 for victory in their allocation of 50 overs, Sarwan kept Guyana on track to reach their target with seven balls to spare. The Windwards had been restricted to 179 for nine off 50 overs thanks to 58 from Darren Sammy.
Asked to bat in sultry conditions on a flat pitch, the Windwards lost West Indies opener Devon Smith cheaply and were soon wobbling on 53 for three.
Sammy, the only St. Lucian to play Test cricket, joined Donwell Hector and the pair aided by appalling catching, added 60 for the fourth wicket.
Hector was then caught and bowled by Narsingh Deonarine in the 35th over, after he was put down by Neil McGarrell at slip off the same bowler, and again by Sewnarine Chattergoon at short cover when on 33 off Deonarine.
Sammy also benefitted from the butter-fingered Guyanese as he was dropped by Mahendra Nagamootoo at short-mid wicket off Deonarine on 21, and by Assad Fudadin, who floored a sitter at deep cover off Nagamootoo on 22, five runs later.
The Windwards continued to bleed wickets, as the Guyana spinners made scoring freely a tedious task. Sammy reached his 50 with a gigantic six off McGarrell and celebrated with a scorching boundary to cover off the next ball, as the Windwards attempted to increase the tempo.
When Sammy was dismissed, the Windwards were 163 for eight and only three overs remained, but the visitors could only muster 16 from the rest of overs. Guyana too, wobbled early and were 20 for two before Sarwan and Deonarine joined forces and entertained the sell-out, working-day crowd with an array of scintillating shots as Guyana marched towards victory.
