West Indies 4-Day Championships 2023: Guyana Harpy Eagles reeling at 91-8 -after Permaul’s four-wicket haul

By Brandon Corlette in Antigua

Guyana Harpy Eagles are in a spot of bother heading into the final day of the opening round of the West Indies 4-Day Championships, having recorded a second innings score of 91-8 in 33 overs of play against the Barbados Pride in a match ongoing at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the twin-island state of Antigua and Barbuda.
However, the Guyanese are equipped with a 242-run lead.
Veerasammy Permaul claimed 4-53 in 26.2 overs to restrict Barbados to 220 in a monumental day for the 33-year-old, who has surpassed 500 wickets in Regional Four-Day cricket for Guyana.

Earlier, Guyana Harpy Eagles started their second innings with a lead of 151 runs on day three, after bowling out Barbados for 220. Tevin Imlach was promoted to open the batting after Chandrapaul Hemraj fell ill. Imlach, who made a duck in the first innings, was removed for another duck when he was rushed by a Jair McAllister-delivery.
Debutant Kemol Savory joined Matthew Nandu with the score at 3-1, and the duo took Guyana to tea at 4-1. Kemol Savory was removed for a duck after facing 11 balls, trapped leg-before by Akeem Jordan. Nandu and Leon Johnson added 38 runs for the third wicket.
Harding, who lacked control, eventually got Johnson with a short-ball for 12. At 42-3, wickets then continued to fall at regular intervals, with some soft dismissals. A short rain delay may have added some juice on the surface on day three, as the Barbadian seamers got wickets.
Anthony Bramble (01) and Kevin Sinclair (01) both gifted their wickets to the Barbadians, thereby reducing Guyana to 56-5 in 22.4 overs. First innings centurion Nandu was dropped twice on six, and his innings did not prosper this time around, as he fell for 16.
Chandrapaul Hemraj bravely went out to bat, after being ill all day. He played some shots in his 14-ball 15, but was caught behind off the bowling of Jordan with the score at 77-7 in 27.5 overs.
Shamar Joseph was clean bowled for four, as bad light ended the day with two overs left and Guyana on 91-8 in 33 overs. Jordan has 3-18 in 10 overs and Harding has 3-37 in eight.

Permaul excels
Resuming the third day on 105-3 in 39 overs, Barbados Pride were bundled out for 220 in 91.2 overs. Shamarh Brooks, who eventually made 51, and Keon Harding kept the Guyana Harpy Eagles at bay with a 57-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Harding, the nightwatchman, was bowled for 24 to become Permaul’s 500th wicket in Regional Four-Day for Guyana. Harding had struck two fours in his 80-ball knock, surviving a chance on 19.
The right-handed Brooks, who has 13 Test caps, looked rock solid. Nicholas Kirton was caught at the wicket by the probing Sinclair. At the lunch interval, Pride were 166-5 after 67 overs. Brooks was on 48 while Shamar Springer was yet to score.
Driving the ball with elegance and class, the 34-year-old Brooks reached his 27th First-Class half-century after lunch. Permaul bowled one slower through the air and mesmerised Brooks into a false shot, where he was at short cover. Brooks produced 51 runs from 141 balls in an innings laced with five fours.
With the Pride score at 178-6, the Harpy Eagles, looking to wrap things up with spin, locked down both ends. Akeem Jordan was out for a duck, caught by Bramble at the wicket to give Sinclair a third.
Chaim Holder was dropped twice in a Sinclair over by Tevin Imlach at gully. Springer leaned into Sinclair and drove him to the boundary, and then slammed Permaul down the ground for four. Debutant Shamar Joseph returned with another spell, and this time he peeled off the edge of Holder for 13 to pick up his second wicket.
Jair McAllister was the final wicket to fall when he was trapped leg-before for two by the veteran Permaul when the Pride score was at 220-9 in 91.2 overs. Shane Dowrich was unable to bat due to illness. Shamar Springer was left unbeaten on 35. Permaul, who ended the first innings with 4- 53 from 26.2 overs, inclusive of six maidens, now has 502 wickets for Guyana in red-ball cricket.
In total, Permaul now has 572 First-Class wickets, including Test wickets.
Off-spinner Sinclair had 3-65 in 24 overs with four maidens, while debutant Joseph had 2-33 in 15 brisk overs. The 23-year-old Joseph also bowled four maidens and struck the likes of Brooks and Zachary McCaskie on the body and helmet respectively.
The fourth and final day is set for 10:00h Eastern Caribbean Time.