Ganga�s 150* Puts T&T into Busta Semis

Guyana snatched second place and semi-final home field advantage when spinners Neil McGarrell and Mahendra Nagamootoo rushed them to a big innings win over the Leeward Islands before lunch on the final day of their 2002 Busta Cup match at Albion today.

In the other unfinished game, West Indies opener Darren Ganga struck an unbeaten 151 as Trinidad and Tobago drew its game with the Windwards to secure the fourth and final semi-final place.

Guyana v Leewards


Spinners Neil McGarrell and Mahendra Nagamootoo shared eight wickets and reduced the Leeward Islands to a second innings 163 all out, giving Guyana a comfortable victory by an innings and 42 runs.

McGarrell returned splendid figures of four for 24 off 19.5 overs with eight maidens, while Nagamootoo, the tournament's top wicket-taker, collected four for 77 off 24 overs.

Sylvester Joseph (60), Alex Adams (53) and Ridley Jacobs (24) were the only batsmen to get to double figures for the Leewards, who slipped to their second defeat in the tournament and lost the runner-up spot.

Guyana and the Leewards will return to Berbice for this weekend's Busta International Shield semi-final, while Cup winners Jamaica host fourth-placed Trinidad and Tobago in the other semi-final.

Nagamootoo, who had captured six for 71 to restrict the Leewards to 237, ended with a match haul of 10 for 148, and 41 wickets in the tournament, to lead Jeremy (39), Sanford (35) and Gareth Breese (35) in the Cup series.

Lennox Cush was named man-of-the-match for his century (154) that helped - along with Chanderpaul's 140 - power Guyana to their match-winning first innings total of 442 all out.

Guyana end the Cup series on 51 points, 14 behind Jamaica (75), with the Leeward Islands third on 45.

Trinidad & Tobago v Windwards


Darren Ganga?s fifth first-class century highlighted the final day of the Busta Cup match between Trinidad and Tobago and the Windward Islands that dragged on for a draw at Guaracara Park.

Ganga stroked an unbeaten 151 for Trinidad and Tobago to score 298 for two declared, and the Windward Islands, set an unattainable 339 runs in the final session to win, closed at 96 without loss.

Devon Smith was not out on 51, his seventh half-century of the Cup series, and Rommel Cuurency was on 42.

The result formalised Trinidad and Tobago getting fourth in the Busta Cup standings and a meeting with Cup champions Jamaica in the Busta International Shield semi-final this weekend.

Man-of-the-match was the 18-year-old Dwayne Bravo, whose maiden first-class century (122) fuelled Trinidad and Tobago's first innings score of 380. The Windward Islands got 105 from Murray on Sunday but folded for 340 in a spirited chase for first innings points.

Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados ended level on 39 points, but the twin-island republic snatched fourth because they had beaten Barbados in their fourth round meeting.

Jamaica will host Trinidad and Tobago, while Guyana entertain the Leeward Islands in the Busta International Shield semi-finals this weekend.

* Match reports courtesy of the West Indies Cricket Board.