…Fudadin and Crandon shine for President’s XI

STEADY bowling from Kieron Pollard (4-12) coupled with a composed and unbeaten innings from Darren Ganga guided the CARICOM Superstars to a five wicket victory over the President’s XI in their first President’s Premier League Twenty20 match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, Friday night.

Former Commonwealth Secretary General Sir Shridath Ramphal strikes a pose with man- of- the- match Daren Ganga.

Chasing a meager 96 for victory, after restricting the President’s XI to 95-9 from their 20 overs, of which national middle order batsman Assad Fudadin top scored with 40, the CARICOM Superstars reached 96-5 from 16 overs, with Ganga being unbeaten on 39, against the bowling of Esaun Crandon who took 3-10 from his four overs.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first on a two paced and under prepared wicket, openers Christopher Barnwell (08) and Sewnarine Chattergoon (03), who was caught off a Ravi Rampaul (2-15) no ball, added 16 from 4.3 overs, before the latter was adjudged lbw to Bravo (1-11).

Barnwell was joined by Fudadin and they took the score to 22 before Barnwell was caught by Sherwin Ganga following a top edge pull off Pollard in the next over, but Fudadin, who was joined by Narsingh Deonarine (12), fought back with a four through point off Pollard.

Skipper Dwayne Bravo replaced Edwards at the Media Centre end and he too was cut deftly by Fudadin to the third man boundary, whilst Deonarine turned him through backward square leg for his lone boundary.

Sherwin Ganga (1-11) replaced Bravo and was met by a sweetly timed flick to fine leg from Fudadin, before he picked up the wicket of Deonarine who was caught at fine leg by Pollard off Ganga at 54-3 in the 13th over.

Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan (02) strode to the wicket and after being asked to bat a second time by his opposite number Bravo when he was run out by Dave Mohammed added 17 with Fudadin who had hoisted Lendl Simmons over long on for the lone maximum in his team’s innings.

Congrats guys!!! Skipper of the President’s XI Ramnaresh Sarwan offers congratulations to CARICOM Superstars’ Davon Cooper, after the latter’s five wicket victory over his side. Behind Sarwan is national wicketkeeper Darwin Christian. (Adrian Narine photos)

The dismissal of Sarwan who was bowled leg stump following an inside edge off Rampaul in an attempt to cut a short delivery, opened the flood gates for the Caricom Superstars, who took three quick wickets including Fudadin for seven runs in three overs.

Darwin Christian (02), Leon Johnson (00) and Fudadin 40 ( 45 balls, 5×4; 1×6) all perished in that haul, with Pollard accounting for Christian and Johnson off successive deliveries, while Fudadin got an edge through to Dinesh Ramdin off Rampaul.

Crandon was left unbeaten on 8 for the President’s XI for whom extras with 16 was the next best scorer after Fudadin with only Deonarine’s 12 being the other double figure score, against the bowling of Pollard (4-12), Rampaul (2-15) and Edwards and Sherwin Ganga with 1-11 each respectively.

When the Superstars began their reply, they were rocked by Crandon who extracted lots of bounce out of the two paced wicket to leave them shakily placed on 22-4 in the sixth over.

Ramdin (05) who opened the batting with Simmons (04) and saw 12 runs coming from the first over, was adjudged lbw to one that pitched, straightened and kept low while Simmons was caught at deep square leg by Veerasammy Permaul, both off Crandon.

Lennox Cush (1-09) accounted for West Indies middle order batsman Darren Bravo (00) who was bowled by one which kept low and when Xavier Marshall (00) chose to take a trip down the wicket to Crandon, he lost his off stump to one that swung back in at him, which left the Superstars on 22-4.

Darren Ganga had strode to the wicket at 16-3, following the demise of Darren Bravo and in partnership with Pollard (15) took the score to 51, adding 29 from five overs, before Pollard was caught by Chattergoon off Barnwell (1-28).

But that was the last hurrah for the President’s XI, as Ganga who was later adjudged the man of the match by former West Indies all rounder and coach Roger Harper, who performed the duties of adjudicator, and Dwayne Bravo (16) saw their team to victory.

Together they took 19 from the 16th over bowled by Permaul, with Ganga hitting him over long on for six, followed by a four over long off from successive deliveries, and then watched as Bravo sealed the win with his lone maximum over long on.

Ganga ended unbeaten on a run a ball 39 which was decorated with three fours and the lone six off Permaul, while Bravo faced 14 balls and struck one maximum in his unbeaten innings which netted his team the winning prize of US$5,000 (G$1m) against the bowling of Crandon who received support from Cush (1-9) and Barnwell (1-2).