-Christian fighting to keep hopes of first innings points alive against CCC

By Calvin Roberts@
3W’s Oval, Barbados

Compliments of: Carib-bean Airlines, GT&T, Igloo Ice-cream, Oasis Water, Noble House Sea-foods and Papi’s Supermar-ket

A defiant, unbeaten innings of 47 from wicketkeeper Darwin Christian, coupled with solid starts from Narsingh Deonarine (49), Leon Johnson (41) and skipper Travis Dowlin (31) has left Guyana with a fighting chance of getting first innings points against the Combined campuses and Colleges (CCC) team at the end of the second day yesterday.

Playing at the 3W’s Oval Cave Hill, Barbados, the Guyanese, who lost their first game by an innings and 147 runs to the Windward Islands, were 237-8 at close of play with Christian and Veerasammy Permaul the not out batsmen. Earlier, the CCC team resuming on 262-8, were bowled out for 265.

Having lost Kevin Mc Clean off what was the final delivery of the first day, they fared no better yesterday as Kishmar Catlin was caught by Royston Crandon at mid off from a lofted drive of the first delivery of the day from Esaun Crandon (3-47).

The CCC team added a further three runs to their overnight total before left arm orthodox spinner Permaul (2-54) had Jamal Noel (01) lbw to one that kept low.

The Guyanese were off to a flyer with Shemroy Barrington (13) and Krishna Arjune (07) adding 25 before Barrington was caught at the wicket by Chad Walton after striking Mc Clean for two boundaries.

Arjune found the going rough against the faster bowlers, namely Catlin and Mc Clean and, after surviving a barrage of short balls from the latter, he attempted to leave alone another but succeeded in giving Kirk Wilkinson catching practice at second slip. Johnson and Deonarine, two of the more experienced batsmen in the team, added 42 runs before lunch, taken with Guyana on 74-2, with Johnson on 24 and Deonarine 23. The two posted their team’s 100 after lunch with Johnson hitting Craig Emmanuel through forward square and between the three man slip cordon and gully for boundaries while Deonarine straight drove a Noel delivery through mid off for another.

A rain break at 1329hrs (1:29pm), came with Guyana comfortably placed on 110-2 with Johnson on 46 and Deonarine on 34.

Play re-started 20 minutes later and Johnson immediately lost his wicket, caught at forward short-leg by Nikolai Parris off Austin without any addition to his or the team’s score.