RESILIENT batting from national first class and West Indies Under-19 opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul saw Guyana Under-19 to 228 for 5 at the end of the first day of their final round clash against Trinidad and Tobago in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board Regional Under-19 three-day tournament at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.

Asked to bat first in brilliant sunshine and on a track that was conducive for batting, Guyana saw two of their three experienced batsmen, Shimron Hetmyer and Brian Sattaur wasting their wickets, with Hetmyer doing so when well set for his second ton.
Chanderpaul stood strong and held the fort to remain unbeaten on 79, batting for the entire day in which he faced 289 balls and struck nine fours in his unbeaten 79, which, together with Hetmyer’s 63, took Guyana to their eventual total at the end of the day’s play.
Hetmyer started positively, striking Akeel Seetal for four through cover point in the first over of the day, followed by two more off the bowling of Justin Joseph, as he added 88 for the first wicket with Chanderpaul.
Trinidad and Tobago gave Hetmyer a life, when he was dropped by wicketkeeper Brandon Jaggernauth on 40, off the bowling of Joseph at 53 without loss and he said thanks by hitting Joseph for four in the same over, before posting his 50 from 81 minutes batting, in which he faced 64 balls and struck six fours, sweeping Jessie Bothan for his sixth four to long leg.
However, a reckless shot from Hetmyer who looked to hit Samuel Roopnarine (2 for 44) over long off, saw him get a thick edge to Seetal at point, after facing 80 balls while batting for 92 minutes and hitting seven fours in his 63.
Guyana went to lunch at 101 for 1, with Chanderpaul on 29 and Sattaur 3 and after the break, Sattaur, who was given a life by Seetal at mid-on off Brian Christmas when on 3, at 99 for 1 before lunch, cut loose with two fours off Seetal, before he attempted a wild swing at Roopnarine and was bowled at 130 for 2.
Enter Ashkay Homraj who added 28 for the third wicket with Chanderpaul, contributing 22 which included a six back over the head of Roopnarine and four, before he was bowled by Joseph, when he looked to run a ball that kept low to the vacant third man position.
The swift demise of Handball Baldeo (3) who ran himself out courtesy of a direct hit by Camilio Carimbocas at extra cover, left Guyana on 166 for 4, following which they took the tea break four runs later, with Chanderpaul on 66 and Shiraz Ramcharran 2.
Chanderpaul had earlier posted his second half-century of this year’s tournament from 208 minutes of batting in which he faced 173 balls and struck six fours, before looking on from the non-striker’s end and seeing a pacey yorker undoing the defence of Ramcharran for 22.
Kemo Paul joined the left-handed Chanderpaul and at the close of play, had struck two fours in his 13, while seeing Guyana past their 200 from a two through point off the second new ball that was taken at 198 for 5 after 85 overs, to their eventual total.
So far, Roopnarine bowled unchanged up to the lunch break after coming into the attack in the 10th over of the home team’s innings. He even sent down a further 10 after the break. He has taken 2 for 44 for the bottom-placed T&T team.

(By Calvin Roberts)