CWI Regional Four-Day tournament: GUYANA IN COMMAND AGAINST BARBADOS

…after centuries from Motie and Chanderpaul

By Brandon Corlette in Trinidad

The Guyana Harpy Eagles were “large and in charge” at the end of the second day of their third-round clash against Barbados Pride in the Cricket West Indies Regional Four-Day Tournament.

In this match, played at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, contrasting centuries from Gudakesh Motie and Tagenarine Chanderpaul lifted the Guyana team’s score to 490-7, at which point they declared; while Barbados Pride were at 48-2 at stumps, trailing by 442 runs. Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks have both been dismissed.

The second day began with the Guyana Harpy Eagles on 219-4 after 90 overs. Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 64, while Anthony Bramble was on 21.
Chanderpaul and Bramble came out with an obvious intention to score runs, but Bramble was struck on the arm and was forced to retire hurt on 38.
A ball that kept low caused Keemo Paul to be bowled by Raymon Reifer for one, and
the courageous Veerasammy Permaul then came and looked positive. Chanderpaul, who was stuck on 84 for more than 20 minutes, eventually broke the shackles, and reached his third first-class century with a sweet boundary towards the cover region.

His century came off 319 balls, and was scored in 469 minutes. It was the slowest in regional cricket, and the second slowest by a West Indian batsman in first-class cricket. In terms of minutes, Jimmy Adams has the slowest century, which he reached in 496 minutes against Zimbabwe.
‘The young tiger’, who had been under pressure and was prospectively about to face the axe from the national team, celebrated his century with great emotion, and responded with the bat.
At lunch, Guyana Harpy Eagles were at 313-5 in 115 overs. Chanderpaul was on 103 from 331 balls, while Permaul was on 34. The first ball after lunch, Permaul hung his bat outside and was caught at second slip off debutant pacer Akeem Jordan. Permaul had struck five fours in his 34, and had added 53 runs for the sixth wicket with Chanderpaul.

Gudakesh Motie came and slammed the Pride bowling line-up to all parts of the ground. He played fearlessly, and when the spinners came to bowl, he played without a cap and helmet. Chanderpaul, on the other end, was rock solid, and looked unbothered.
Motie and Chanderpaul took the score to 437-6 at the tea interval, with Motie being on 92 and Chanderpaul on 135 not out. Kraigg Brathwaite had shifted around his bowlers in hot conditions, and those changes even saw Jonathan Carter bowling medium pace and off-spin.

Upon resumption of play after tea, Motie reached his maiden first-class century with a powerful boundary straight down the ground. He had used 112 deliveries to reach the milestone. He then smoked six on the roof of the Cyril L Duprey Stand, but top-edged a short delivery from Keon Harding and had to depart for 110. Motie had faced 118 balls in 128 minutes in crafting an innings that was decorated with 12 fours and four sixes. He had featured in a 143-run sixth wicket stand, and departed with Harpy Eagles on 456-7 after 151.2 overs.
Nial Smith came and played some good shots, reaching his career best run-a-ball score of 28 at this level. With the Harpy Eagles on 490-7 after 157.4 overs, the declaration was made, and Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 140 from 434 balls. He had batted for 644 minutes, and had struck 14 fours. Akeem Jordan claimed 3-108 from 30 overs for the Pride.

In Pride’s first innings’ response, Brathwaite started things off with a firm push off Keemo Paul. It was a ball that was pitched up and was laced towards long-off. The Guyanese looked to attack Sheyne Moseley, and Nial Smith was operating from the Brian Lara pavilion with five slips and a gully.
Brathwaite was brilliantly caught by Akshaya Persaud at forward short leg for 17, and Keemo Paul got one to straighten as Brooks left it and was trapped leg-before for two. Shai Hope was yet to score, and he will resume with Moseley on day two, from 10:00h Eastern Caribbean Time.

Summary from other matches:
TT vs LEE: LEE 357 & 23/0 (13) Powell 13*. TT: 140 (58) Da Silva 65; Archibald 4/27, Louis 4/32. LEE lead by 240 runs.
JAM vs WIN: WIN 137 & 101/3 (33.1) Smith 34, Hodge 30*; Green 2/35. JAM: 346 (87) King 119*, Merchant 58; McSween 4/96, Thomas 3/56. WIN trail by 108 runs.