WI 4-Day Championship 2023: Sinclair, Beaton defy Volcanoes to draw match for Guyana

By Brandon Corlette in Grenada

Kevin Sinclair’s unbeaten career-best score of 77, and Ronsford Beaton’s determined survival, ensured Guyana Harpy Eagles pull off a remarkable draw against Windward Islands Volcanoes in round two of the West Indies Championship in Grenada.

In a tall chase of 294 runs, Matthew Nandu’s solid 60 helped Guyana come close to the total, but late wickets for Volcanoes pegged back Guyana’s efforts. Sinclair and Beaton batted for 17.5 overs, adding an unbroken 39 runs for the final wicket before bad light stopped play, to the immense relief of the table leaders, Guyana Harpy Eagles.
Guyana Harpy Eagles resumed the day on 35-0, with Tevin Imlach and Nandu at the crease. It was confirmed in the morning that Chandrapaul Hemraj, who was struck on the helmet on day three, was replaced by concussion substitute Akshaya Persaud.

Imlach and Nandu looked to gather singles and put away rare bad deliveries on offer. Imlach was the first man to be dismissed for the day, trapped leg-before for 25 off left-arm seamer Preston McSween.
After the half-century stand with Nandu and Imlach, Kemol Savory joined Nandu with the score at 54-1.
The rain began falling at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada, which at that stage marked the ninth rain interruption of the match.
Off-spinner Kenneth Dember removed Savory in his first over when he drew Savory forward and found his outside edge. Savory being caught at first slip for seven reduced the Harpy Eagles to 68-2 in 30.5 overs.

There were rumblings of an impending victory for the Volcanoes at that stage, but despite the upbeat nature of their fielders, Nandu remained calm and carried his bat for Guyana. His skipper, Leon Johnson, came to the crease and played late cuts with ease and grace, and the left-handed duo of Nandu and Johnson took Guyana Harpy Eagles to 96-2, with Nandu on 41 and Johnson on 18.
At the resumption of play, Johnson began counter-attacking the bowling, but was strangled down the leg-side off a short-ball from pacer Darius Martin. The score was then adjusted to 123-3 in 45.4 overs. Dropped on 33 at first slip, Johnson made 40 from 50 balls in an innings that was decorated with five fours and one six, and added 55 runs with Nandu for the third wicket.

The 19-year-old Nandu surpassed his half-century, after scoring a century on debut, whereas Anthony Bramble, who continued to fail with the bat, was caught at the wicket off McSween for three. Nandu’s solid innings of 60 from 123 balls ended when he played a delivery on to his stumps. He struck seven fours in his fourth innings at first-class cricket.
At 141-5, Kevin Sinclair joined the under-fire Persaud, and the duo scored freely. Sinclair struck two boundaries off Ryan John, while Persaud played and missed on a few occasions.
The duo took the score to 181-5 in 61 overs at tea. In the final session, Sinclair continued to operate “busy at the crease”, as he swept Kaveem Hodge to the boundary for four.
Persaud, who scored 24 from 62 balls, went past his highest first-class score, but was soon caught behind off the bowling of Greaves, ending a 64-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Veerasammy Permaul partnered his fellow Berbician Sinclair at 205-6 after 69.4 overs. At that stage, Guyana required 89 runs with four wickets in hand, but went downhill, losing four wickets for six runs. Permaul was bowled by left-arm spinner Hodge for four, and then Shamar Joseph left one alone and was bowled the very next ball.
One run later, Nial Smith was also bowled by the impressive Greaves for a duck, and the 50-odd spectators in the ground began to roar for the Volcanoes.
Sinclair, however, surpassed his second first-class fifty by playing some sweet shots. Taking most of the strike in a bid to shield number 11, Ronsford Beaton, Sinclair used great tactics to prevent the Volcanoes from erupting in victory, and eventually bad light stopped play after Sinclair had thumped his career-best innings of 77, which came off 138 balls. His innings was decorated with nine fours and one six. Beaton survived for 24 balls and remained unbeaten on one.
Since 2015, Guyana have never lost against Windwards. Guyana won nine, drew three, and tied one match during that period. The tournament will break and now resume in March. Reports have indicated that matches will be played in Guyana.