Guyanese all-rounder Chris Barnwell struck a 36-ball unbeaten 61 to lead his team to a 14-run victory over the Leeward Islands in their regional T20 cricket clash last night at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.
Scores: Guyana 156/3 (20) vs Leewards 142/5 (20)
With Guyana needing to win their final two matches to get into the semifinal play-off, Barnwell showed up with the intention of harming the Leewards and this he did with his rapid innings. This seemed to have raised the confidence level of the Guyanese and all of a sudden they were looking a different side.
Set a hefty 157 runs to win the match, Leewards got a decent start with Lendel Richardson and Keiran Powell posting 27 runs for the first wicket. Powell slammed a run-a-ball 27, while Javier Liburd was subdued in getting 26 off 31 balls.
However, the asking rate was always too much and although wicketkeeper Devon Thomas and Chesney Hughes peppered the boundary, their stint could not take the Leewards over the line. Hughes faced just 15 balls and struck two sixes and a four. Thomas battled to the end and remained unbeaten on 46 off 27 balls with four sixes.
Earlier, Guyana's re-shuffled batting order worked wonderfully well for them. Shivnarine Chanderpaul was accompanied at the top of the order by wicketkeeper Derwain Christian.
Both men played sensibly to lay a foundation for the later onslaught. They had an opening association of 59 runs from ten overs. Left-arm spinner Chesney Hughes then made a double break that threatened to cage the jaguars. He sent back Christian for 28 off 30 balls with two sixes and a four and then cramped the 'Tiger' and bowled him for 30 off 37 balls. The left-hander struck two fours in his innings and did the job required of him at the top of the order.
Sarwan was in next and he found a red-hot Barnwell. They added a rapid 32 runs off 31 balls and Sarwan left the arena with 12. Barnwell then went on the rampage and finished unbeaten on 61 off just 36 balls with three sixes and six fours. He took spinner Rakheem Cornwall for 20 runs in one over. With him at the end was Royston Crandon with 16 from six balls including two sixes.
Hughes finished as the pick of the bowlers with 2/21 off four overs, while Shane Burton, who felt the brunt of the attack, went for 43 runs from three overs.
SCOREBOARD
Guyana vs Leewards
Guyana inns
S Chanderpaul b Hughes 30
D Christian c & b Hughes 28
C Barnwell not out 61
R Sarwan c Thomas b Walters 12
R Crandon not out 16
Extras lb2, w6, nb1 9
Total 3 wkts (20ovs) 156
Fall of wkts: 59, 71, 103.
Bowling: A Martin 4-0-25-0, K Walters 4-0-27-1, S Burton 3-0-43-0, C Hughes 4-0-21-2, J Athanaze 4-0-18-0, R Cornwall 1-0-20-0.
Leewards Inns
L Richardson lbw Crandon 9
K Powell c Permaul b Bishoo 27
J Liburd c Crandon b Deonarine 26
D Thomas not out 46
C Hughes c Barnwell b Beaten 26
J Athanaze c Bishoo b Barnwell 0
S Joseph not out 5
Extras w1, nb2 3
Total 5 wkts (20) 142
Fall of wkts: 27, 62, 68, 122, 124.
Bowling: S Jacobs 4-0-15-0, R Beaten 3-0-34-1, R Crandon 3-1-12-1, V Permaul 3-0-23-0, D Bishoo 3-0-23-1, N Deonarine 2-0-20-1, C Barnwell 2-0-15-1.
Result: Guyana won by 14 runs.
Star of match: Chris Barnwell.
Guyana 4 pts, Leewards 0.
