West Indies Local: Barbados denied

Amidst the frustration of countless appeals going against them, Barbados just failed to complete victory over Guyana on a highly gripping and enthralling final day at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Barbados seemed almost certain to begin their defence of the Busta Cup with maximum points when they claimed their eighth wicket with another 10.5 overs remaining to dislodge the last two tail-enders.

By then, they would have been hoarse after repeated appeals for lbw and close-in catches.

Many more followed, but neither umpire was pressured into giving out Colin Stuart or Kevin Darlington in the final tense, nerve-jangling 45 minutes.

Stuart and Darlington have no reputations as batsmen, but they did an admirable job in the circumstances, constantly pushing forward with a straight bat against both pace and spin.

The unwavering Dayne Maynard could not find the energy to finish off the job after spearheading Barbados' victory charge with four wickets in spite of the luck that went against him throughout the day.

Hendy Bryan was also tired in the closing stages, and although the new ball was due for the final 10 overs, Philo Wallace, conscious of the fading light, opted to go with his slow men, Dave Marshall and Ryan Hurley, for the last few overs.

Neither managed to reproduce their first innings effort.

They beat the bat several times, but Stuart dug in for 45 balls and Darlington faced 29. When the final ball was bowled Guyana were on 206 for eight, nowhere near the victory target of 327 that had been given after Barbados declared at their overnight position.

There were many spectators around the ground who felt Barbados should have given their opponents at least half-hour's batting on the previous day, but that suggestion was not supported by manager Tony Howard.

'The wicket was still a good one. If we gave them more time, obviously we would have given them fewer runs,' Howard said.

'The equation is always time, runs and wickets, and we thought if we had a whole day we would have been able to do the job. It didn't quite work out, but I'm satisfied.'

Skipper Wallace lauded the efforts of the Guyanese, who appeared likely to save the match earlier in the day when Keith Semple and Travis Dowlin were batting between lunch and tea, and in the final session when Mahendra Nagamootoo and captain Neil McGarell were together.

'We were determined to win this game, but the Guyanese fought well and we must compliment them for their determination and their courage,' Wallace said.

McGarrell was the wicket that Barbados somehow could not get. The Guyana captain always gave a hint that he would fall lbw any time, but was able to bat for an hour-and-a-half for six unconvincing runs.

At the time, he was batting with the more assured Nagamootoo and when Guyana started the final 15 overs on 193 for six, a draw was predicted.

Within four overs, the complexion of the match changed.

Ian Bradshaw outfoxed Nagamootoo with a slower ball that he edged into his stumps, McGarrell finally went by edging Maynard's slower ball to gully and Vishal Nagamootoo, the last of the Guyanese with some degree of batting ability, was caught down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Courtney Browne off Bryan.

Earlier in the day, Barbados did not help their cause by missing at least four catches.

Maynard, wicketless in the first innings, delivered a high-class sustained spell in the morning session but appeared to be deserted by luck as three catches were spilled in a handful of balls.

Nicholas deGroot and Azeemul Haniff were always troubled by short-pitched deliveries, but neither benefited.

deGroot, who gave a straightforward offering to Floyd Reifer at third slip, was caught at short-leg off the glove, while the left-handed Haniff, whose two chances were difficult to substitute Kerry Lucas at second slip, nibbled a catch to the keeper.

Those wickets by Maynard prompted Wallace to bowl him for nearly an hour-and-three-quarters, but neither he nor his teammates could gain another wicket until after lunch when Bradshaw accounted for the important scalp of Ramnaresh Sarwan.

As tea approached, Guyana were 141 for three and Barbados appeared to lose some interest in the face of the many appeals that were turned down.

Maynard, however, kept running in with purpose and was rewarded for his persistence with a leg-before verdict against Semple, who made 45 in 2 3/4 hours.

Dowlin followed for 39 soon after tea, but it was simply not Barbados' day.