Verasammy Permaul was the hero as Guyana scored an unlikely win over defending champions Windwards Islands in the Nagico Super50 cricket clash at the Queen's Park Oval on Tuesday night.
The pint-sized Permaul grabbed three wickets for 22 runs, narrowly missing a hat trick, as the last four Windwards wickets fell for 13 runs, to give Guyana victory by 22 runs.
The Windwards capitulated for 213 off 46.4 overs after Guyana, winning the toss and batting, amassed 235 for seven off their 50 overs.
Ronsford Beaton, who had the important scalps of Devon Smith, Romel Currency and Mervin Mathew, finished with three for 43 and Davindra Bishoo claimed two for 42 off 10 overs.
Beaton made the initial strike, bowling the experienced Devon Smith for five, while Christopher Barnwell blunted the Windwards accounting for top scorer Johnson Charles. The pugnacious opener was starting to dominate the Guyanese attack but needlessly charged the Guyanese captain having faced 36 balls and striking five boundaries in a knock of 35.
Romel Currency and Keddy Lesporis later staged an inspiring stand of 61 for the fifth wicket which swung the momentum Windwards' way. Lesporis struck 33 and Currency hit 19 before playing on to Beaton.
Earlier, Guyana benefitted from sloppy catching by the Windward Islands to post a challenging score of 235 for seven in their 50 overs.
After removing Trevon Griffith for a 'duck', the Windwards could have sent back top man Ramnaresh Sarwan also for a 'duck' but wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher spilled the catch. Sarwan led a revival with a second wicket partnership off 121 runs with Assad Fudadin. The pair was scrapy for the most part of their innings with a number of catches hitting the grass.
However, they motored on and Sarwan reached his second half century in the tournament following his 89 not out against Ireland in the opening game.
Fudadin replacing Shivnarine Chanderpaul who was nursing an abcess on his leg, also scored a half century. Midway through the innings, Windwards were able to pull it back as they removed Sarwan for 62 off 92 balls with five fours and a six. Fudadin followed for 51 off 120 balls with four fours.
Skipper Chris Barnwell, however, joined forces with Leon Johnson and the pair repaired the innings.
Barnwell cracked 51 off 43 balls with four fours and two sixes, while Johnson got 41 off 31 balls with three fours and two sixes.
The win gave Guyana a 100 per cent record, following victory over Ireland and ensured a place in the semifinal.
SCOREBOARD
Guyana vs Windwards
Guyana inns
Trevon Griffith c A Fletcher b D Johnson 0
Assad Fudadin c D Johnson b M Matthew 51
Ramnaresh Sarwan c L Sebastien b M Matthew 62
Christopher Barnwell b M Matthew 51
Leon Johnson c R Currency b J Charles 41
Narsingh Deonarine c L Sebastien b D Johnson 2
Anthony Bramble c K Lesporis b M Matthew 6
Veerasammy Permaul not out 1
Ronsford Beaton not out 0
Extras: 2b 4lb 14w 1nb 0pen 21
Total 7 wkts (50ovs) 235
Fall of wkts: 3, 124, 130, 214, 218.
Bowling: Delorn Johnson 10-1-39-2, Kenroy Peters 10-1-37-0, Mervin Matthew 10-1-41-4, Johnson Charles 7-1-39-1, Liam Sebastien 9-1-50-0, Garey Mathurin 4-0-23-0.
Windward Islands inns
Devon Smith b Beaton 5
Johnson Charles b Barnwell 35
Tyrone Theophile lbw Bishoo 31
Andre Fletcher lbw Bishoo 17
Keddy Lesporis lbw Wintz 33
Romel Currency bBeaton 19.
Liam Sebastien lbw Permaul 19
Mervin Mathew c Permaul b Beaton 24
Garey Mathurin b Permaul 5
Delorn Johnson bPermaul 0
Kenroy Peters not out 3
Extras: (lb 11 w11) 22
Total: (10 wkts; 46.4 overs) 213
Fall of wickets 1-35, 2-55, 3-95, 4-96, 5-157, 6-158, 7-200, 8-206,, 9-206, 10-213
Bowling: Paul Wintz 5-0-29-1 (1w) , Ronsford Beaton 9-1-43-3 (6w), Christopher Barnwell 6-0-31-1 (1w), Veerasammy Permaul 9.4-2-24-3 (1w), Davendra Bishoo 10-0-42-2 (2w), Narsingh Deonarine 7-0-33-0
Result: Guyana won by 22 runs
