Bramble, Permaul lead Guyana to thumping ten-wicket win
Anthony Bramble's unbeaten 196 and Veerasammy Permaul's eight-wicket match haul helped Guyana consign Leeward Islands to a ten-wicket defeat inside three days at Providence Stadium
ESPNcricinfo staff
17-Dec-2017
File Photo - Veerasammy Permaul and Anthony Bramble appeal to the umpire • West Indies Cricket Board
Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble's unbeaten first-innings 196 and Veerasammy Permaul's eight-wicket match haul helped Guyana consign Leeward Islands to a ten-wicket defeat inside three days at Providence Stadium, despite a defiant maiden first-class century from Akeem Saunders. The victory - the fifth for Guyana in seven games - bolstered the team's position at the top of the points table, while corresponding to Leeward's third loss in the tournament.
Guyana's decision to bat first backfired initially as the Leeward bowlers - led by Rahkeem Cornwall - reduced the hosts to 41 for 4 inside 21 overs. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (51) then collected a patient half-century off 118 deliveries. He also helped revive Guyana's innings, sharing a 118-run fifth-wicket partnership with Bramble, who clobbered 23 fours and five sixes en route to his 292-ball 196, his maiden first-class century. Although Chanderpaul fell shortly after the team crossed the 150-run mark, the lower order rallied around Bramble to take the side to 417. While Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd chipped in with 23 and 22 respectively, No. 11 batsman Gudakesh Motie fell three short of his second first-class fifty, having added 110 runs for the last wicket with Bramble.
In reply, none of Leeward's batsmen could notch up a score in excess of 20 as Permaul bagged his 25th first-class five-for that helped Guyana bowl the opposition out for 149 inside 50 overs. Permaul's efforts were complemented by two wickets from Shepherd, who removed opener Montcin Hodge and Devon Thomas.
Having conceded a lead of 268, Leeward were made to follow on, and were then rolled over for 268 in their second innings, despite Saunders' century. After three early wickets, Saunders stitched together two partnerships - worth 91 and 76 runs with Shane Burton (53) and Jahmar Hamilton (23) - for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively, before Hamilton's dismissal led to Leeward slumping from 203 for 4 to 268 all out. Keemo Paul sniped out three wickets, with Permaul, Motie and Shepherd grabbing two each. Permaul's eight-wicket haul took his tournament tally to 41.
It took Guyana only four balls to overhaul the target of 1, with the winning shot coming from Tagenarine Chanderpaul.