Guyana Overcomes Marshall�s 125*

Xavier Marshall?s unbeaten century in his first season at this level could not prevent Jamaica from being sent packing by Guyana, in another thrilling encounter at Bourda. Making good use of the home advantage, Guyana propelled themselves to a three-wicket win over the Jamaicans to move into the semi-final round in Barbados.

After a positive start, the Jamaicans ? choosing to bat after winning the toss ? lost momentum when the Guyana spinners Lennox Cush and the experienced Neil McGarrell were operating. Cush, bowling from the North Road end, dried up the runs while accounting for the wicket of Chris Gayle, caught at mid wicket by Mahendra Nagamootoo. In that eight-over spell, Cush had figures of 8-1-20-1. McGarrell also went for 20 runs off the seven overs he bowled during that important period for Guyana.

Apart from Marshall, the other Jamaicans could not get the ball away. Brenton Parchment, playing in his second match of the tournament, took 27 balls to get six runs before he was adjudged lbw to Nagamootoo.

Marlon Samuels looked set to continue the fine form he has maintained throughout the tournament, but he was given out caught by Reon Griffith at long on for just 18. Griffith had to take a diving catch low down on the ground and Samuels waited at the crease for a good few minutes, seemingly questioning the legality of the catch. Without the benefit of official television replays, Samuels had to go when the umpire eventually lifted his finger.

The score was then 147 for 3 in the 40th over and for Jamaica, with wickets in hand, and Marshall and the attacking Wavell Hinds at the crease, a score close to 250 seemed very possible.

The 41st over saw Hinds cutting to backward point off the first ball of the over, and he ended the over with another four to contribute to the 16 runs scored in a productive over for the Jamaicans. When Hinds was stumped by wicketkeeper Darwin Christian for 16 in the 45th over, Carlton Baugh Jr walked to the crease with the intention of hitting the boundaries needed to take Jamaica from 184 towards the 250 mark. He was eventually run out for 15 on the first ball of the final over. Marshall, still there having brought up his hundred in the 47th over, hit the next two balls for six.

Gareth Breese came in to replace Baugh and hit a six from the first ball he faced, but Reon Griffith ended the Jamaica innings with an important dot ball to keep the final score on 234/5.

They say you shouldn?t upset tigers, and Shivnarine ?Tiger? Chanderpaul would have been smarting from his team?s heavy defeat to Barbados the day before. He rallied his batsmen to take the attack to the Jamaicans, and openers Sewnarine Chattergoon and Krishna Arjune, brought back after being dropped for the Barbados game, worked the ball around nicely against Dwight Washington and Evon McInnis. Chattergoon?s 14 came from mostly singles and two?s. He was caught behind off Washington when the score was on 29.

Despite that however, Jamaica were in control after the first ten overs, restricting Guyana to 3.9 runs per over. The introduction of David Bernard Jr to replace Dwight Washington at the North Road end took the score up to 56 runs at the end of the next over. Having not bowled since the second match of the tournament, Bernard overstepped the line five times in his only over, with two of those being boundary balls. Seventeen runs had come off the 11th over.

The economical Chris Gayle was introduced in the 13th over. In six overs of off spin, Gayle returned figures of 6-2-15-0. He was partnered by Marlon Samuels who bowled seven overs for 18 runs with two maidens and had the wicket of Narsingh Deonarine for 29. As Guyana had done in Jamaica?s innings, Jamaica persisted with spin, which was working to their advantage.

Bowling from the Regent Road end, Miller had 9 overs for 41 runs and the wicket of Lennox Cush in the 31st over. Breese also took a wicket, that of his counterpart Shivnarine Chanderpaul, caught and bowled for 18 in the 38th.

Damodar Dasrath joined the patient Krishna Arjune at the crease. Going for a third run off Breese in the 40th over proved suicidal for Dasrath who was run out for 2. In that mishap, Arjune had quietly brought up his half century. He eventually was bowled off the first ball of Gayle?s second spell and at 177 for 6, still needing 58 runs for victory off 41 balls, it was up to Neil McGarrell to lead the charge to the target.

Hitting the ball hard, McGarrell did not allow himself to be bogged down by Gayle and Samuels who had come together once more. When Darwin Christian was caught by Nikita Miller off Gayle for 12 with the score on 210/7, McGarrell was joined by another who could find the gaps as easily as he was doing. Mahendra Nagamootoo hit two 4?s in the 48th over and two in the 49th to seal victory on the last ball of the over. Guyana had won by three wickets with the final scores being 236 for 7 off 49 overs in reply to Jamaica?s 234 for 5.

The Man-of-the-Match award went to Jamaica?s Xavier Marshall for his 125 not out could not console the Jamaicans, who now head back home to analyze the reasons for their poor showing, despite having one of the stronger teams in this year?s competition.

* Michelle McDonald, a Jamaican supporter, filed this report in between tears but insists the match result has not spoiled her vacation in Guyana.