Dillon Douglas receiving his man-of-the- match prize
The Guyana Harpy Eagles’ opening match in the CG United Regional Super50 tournament against the Windward Islands Volcanoes can be regarded as nothing but a thriller. Unfortunately, it ended with the Guyanese team being on the losing side.
The final few overs of the chase were dramatic ones, as the Volcanoes’ lower order kept their cool to inch closer and closer to their target of 275 after an earlier collapse. Their number 9, 10 and 11 batsmen in Darel Cyrus, Kenneth Dember and Gillon Tyson hit an uncharacteristic 29, 20 and 17 runs respectively to get this team over the line with 3 balls to spare.
The match was played at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Guyanese outfit won the toss and elected to bat first. They got off to a slow start, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Matthew Nandu being promoted up the order.
Nial Smith was on target thrice to rattle the Volcanoes
In spite of their pace, the pair forged a solid first- wicket partnership that accounted for 83 runs before Shadrack Descarte struck, removing Chanderpaul for one run short of a half-century.
Nandu and Kemol Savory departed not too long after, but Captain Tevin Imlach and Kevlon Anderson were able to up the tempo for the Harpy Eagles. After slamming 2 fours and 2 sixes, another Guyanese batter fell short of a half- century; this time it was Anderson, who departed for a well-played 42.
Team Vice-captain Keemo Paul joined his skipper at the crease, where an explosive 79-run partnership in 70 overs took the Guyanese side well past the 250 mark.
Keemo Paul’s lightning innings boosted GHE at the end
Both batters ended unbeaten, Imlach on 65 from 67 and Paul 54 from 29, as the Harpy Eagles posted 274-5 in their 50 overs. Descarte was the pick of the Volcanoes’ bowlers with 2-53 from 8 overs.
The Volcanoes had an early collapse, first being 10-3 and later 58-5 as Nial Smith and Keemo Paul gave the Guyanese side a remarkable start with the ball.
However, Descarte put up his hand in crafting a patient 60 from 62 deliveries, while Dillon Douglas hit his maiden List A half-century to come in clutch for the Volcanoes at number 7. Douglas missed out on his century though, falling for 90 from 100 deliveries in a close run- out that at that time signalled an impending victory for the Harpy Eagles.
Following the run out, Kevin Sinclair struck again, picking up his second wicket of the game to reduce the Volcanoes to 9 down, but plaguing cramps for Smith and sloppy fielding cost the Harpy Eagles the win. Smith had returns of 3-46 from 9.4 overs, while Sinclair claimed 2-66 from 10 overs.
The Harpy Eagles’ next assignment will be against the Combined Campuses and Colleges today at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground. This match bowls off at 09:00hrs local time.
