Guyana prevail in last-ball finish

A young Sagicor High Performance Centre (HPC) side gave Guyana a scare in a match that went down to the last ball before the more experienced team prevailed by three runs in Kensington Park in Kingston.

HPC got off to a solid start in their chase of Guyana's 225 with a patient century partnership between Rajindra Chandrika and Kieran Powell. 20-year old Powell - who played two ODIs for West Indies last year - top scored with 72 while Chandrika made 51. At 173 for 3, HPC were on their way to a huge upset. However, the Guyana spinners triggered a collapse as five wickets fell for 34 runs. Needing 10 off the last over bowled by offspinner Steven Jacobs, HPC managed only six to fall tantalisingly short.

Guyana's total was built around a 101-run partnership between Ramnaresh Sarwan, who slammed four sixes in his 63 off 79, and Richard Ramdeen, who made 46 off 58. However, legspinner Keron Cottoy ran through the middle order, claiming the wickets of Sarwan, Ramdeen, Narsingh Deonarine and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, as Guyana slumped to 156 for 6. Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble and Jacobs then stuck around long enough to ensure Guyana would have a reasonable total to defend.

At Sabina Park, half-centuries from Kirk Edwards and Ryan Hinds took Barbados to a four-wicket victory against Leeward Islands. Leeward captain Wilden Cornwall's hurricane 85 was in vain as Barbados chased down the target of 240 with 20 balls to spare.

Leeward had struggled to 91 for 4 by the 30th over in the face of tight bowling by Barbados, especially the left-arm spin of Hinds and Sulieman Benn, who took 5 for 55 between them. Opener Montcin Hodge had taken 96 balls for his 39, and had been put out of his misery by the offspin of debutant Marlon Graham.

In walked Cornwall and went on to plunder six sixes and eight fours in his 85 that came off 59 deliveries. He took a liking to Graham, slamming him for 30 in an over that included four consecutive sixes. Cornwall was supported by allrounder Omari Banks as the duo added 127 off 95. However, both fell within four deliveries of each other, and the remaining batsmen could manage only 19 from the last 4.3 overs.

Despite captain Hinds' half-century, Barbados had slumped to 182 for 6 at one stage, offspinner Justin Athanaze taking 3 for 44. However, Edwards - who has played for West Indies A - anchored the chase, remaining unbeaten on a patient 68 off 95. Dwayne Smith and Carlo Morris played late cameos to help their side home in the 47th over.

The next two matches scheduled to be played at Chedwin Park, Leeward against HPC and Jamaica against Combined Campuses & Colleges, have been shifted to Kensington Park due to unfavourable ground conditions on account of recent heavy rain at Chedwin Park.