Windwards overcomes Guyana

The Windwards last Sunday recorded a four wicket win over Guyana and their first full points of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) four-day regional Cricket Competition, played at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.{{more}}

The victory came within three days.

Asked to make 58 to win, the Windwards struggled, but came out victorious as they got to 60 for 6.

Leading the Guyanese fight back was Veerasammy Permaul with 3 for 16, and Davendra Bishoo, with 3 for 20.

The Windwards victory was achieved at 1: 30 p.m., when topscorer, Gairy Mathurin, 14 not out, struck a ball from Permaul, to the fine leg boundary for 4.

It was a day that blossomed for the Guyanese, who resumed at 98 for 9, with a lead of 17, but the last wicket pair of Rajendra Chandrika, 37 not out, and Brandon Bess, 14, put on a stand of 44, that gave the Windwards their chasing target. Guyana’s second innings folded at 138.

Man of the Match Mervyn Matthew bagged 4 for 25, Gairy Mathurin 3 for 11 and Nelon Pascal 2 for 28, bowling for the Windwards.

Pascal with career best figures of 5 for 52, started the home team’s dominance last Friday, as the Guyanese were dismissed for 142. Pascal was assisted by Mervyn Matthew with 2 for 17. Vishual Singh with 30, topscored for Guyana.

The Windwards batsmen did not capitalise on their bowlers’ efforts, as they could only build up an 81 run lead on first innings.

Keddy Lesporis, 46, Andre Fletcher, 43, and Tyrone Theophile, 35, were the main contributors in the Windwards response of 223. Bishoo took 5 for 92 and Permaul 3 for 47, bowling for Guyana.

The win pushed the Windwards to 19 points from three matches.

Reflecting on his team’s triumph, Coach Ian Allen credited both his bowlers and batsmen.

He, however, noted that the batsmen did not make good of the first innings efforts of the bowlers.

“A few guys got into the thirties and forties, but did not go on,” Allen said of his batsmen.

“I think too that the wicket had something to do with it, because when a wicket starts turning on the first day of a four-day game, then it shows what level of preparation which had gone into it,” Allen, a former St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Windwards and West Indies fast bowler lamented.

Meanwhile, Guyana Team Manager, Carl Moore stated that it was “bad batting”, which cost them the match, but declared that the team has enough in them to rebound in the remaining four matches, and could still get into the semi- finals of the competition.

The Arnos Vale Playing Field venue will be the host ground for the Windwards fourth round match up with Trinidad and Tobago, starting this Friday, and Allen is looking to his bowlers to continue to hold their own, but also wants his batsmen to improve. (RT)