Chanderpaul comes up big with match-winning cameo

Tagenarine Chanderpaul produced a brilliant cameo as Guyana Harpy Eagles stunned leaders Barbados Pride by five wickets in a thrilling finish to the third round contest in the West Indies Championship on Saturday. Set 68 to win from 13 overs deep in the last session on the final day at Queen’s Park Oval, the Guyanese got home with an over to spare thanks to the left-handed Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 23 off just 10 balls. The left-hander had a magnificent game as he followed up his 140 not out in the first innings which set up the Harpy Eagles’s big first innings score.

Scoreboard: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/211469/#scorecard

With his side needing quick runs at the top, Chanderpaul slotted in at Number 7 but arrived at the crease with the game in the balance, with Harpy Eagles on 46-5 in the 10th over. He started busily and then with 15 runs required from 11 balls, turned the game firmly in Guyana’s favour by plundering 18 runs from the penultimate over sent down by fast bowler Akeem Jordan who finished with 4-31.

Chanderpaul whipped the second ball through square for four, followed up with another boundary to mid-wicket before sprinting two to wide long on off the fourth ball. With five runs needed, Chanderpaul unfurled an extra-ordinary scoop from outside off-stump to the fine leg boundary before blasting the final delivery of the over to the straight boundary, to set off celebration.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite had earlier struck 111 to lift Pride to 291 in their second innings after they resumed the morning on 44-0. He faced 241 balls and struck 16 fours to post his 61st first class hundred. Opener Shayne Moseley chipped in with 48, Raymon Reifer got 27 and Shane Dowrich, 24, but the defending champions failed to conjure up the batting effort required. Fast bowler Keemo Paul was impressive with 4-90 off 26 persevering while new ball partner Nial Smith claimed 3-76.