Guyana snatch another late win

NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC): Derwin Christian's cameo 13-ball, unbeaten 40 hauled Guyana from the brink of defeat and propelled them to a stunning two-wicket win over Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship last Friday.

Guyana found themselves behind for the better part of the contest after a lacklustre bowling effort allowed the CCC to pile up an impressive 175 for seven off 20 overs, and an equally docile batting display left them in strife at 119 for seven in the 16th over.

Christian then clubbed two fours and four sixes in an exhilarating innings to fire Guyana to an improbable win at 178 for eight with two balls left, and to the top of Group A with eight points.

CCC seemed favourites with Guyana requiring 15 off the last over but the defending champions managed seven from the first two balls before Christian smashed 10 from the last two deliveries in a dramatic finish at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

tough result

The result would have been a tough one to take for the CCC after captain Romel Currency and William Perkins both stroked 43 to post a challenging total, with leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo (3-34) and off-spinner Royston Crandon (2-22) among the wickets.

And their dominance con-tinued when Travis Dowlin (4) top-edged a pull to wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton off pacer Gilford Moore (2-20) with Guyana 17 for one in the third over.

Veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul stroked three fours in scoring 19 from 15 balls, steadying the innings in a lively 26-run stand with Esaun Crandon whose 21 came from 12 balls and included two fours and a six.

Both fell in quick succession, however, with Chanderpaul run out at the end of the fifth over attempting a sharp single to short fine leg and Crandon followed eight balls afterward, holing out to deep square leg, to leave Guyana perched on 53 for three.

repair job

Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (17) and Royston Crandon (9) attempted a repair job by adding 20 for the fourth wicket but again, Guyana lost them both quickly to slump.

The right-handed Sarwan hit one four and a six over mid-wicket off off-spinner Ryan Wiggins but chopped the very next ball to Kavesh Kantasingh at short third man and five balls later, Crandon also succumbed to leg-spinner Nkrumah Bonner (3-24) as Guyana tumbled to 77 for five in the 10th over.

Other result: Somerset beat Windward Islands by 17 runs in their Group A match.

Scores: Somerset 139 for four off 20 overs (Jos Buttler 47, Craig Meschede 28; Kenroy Peters 1-18). Windwards 122 for nine off 20 overs (Johnson Charles 36, Gary Mathurin 27; Max Waller 3-16, Alfonso Thomas 2-18, Gemaal Hussain 2-19).