Anderson, Sankar, and Perez shine on final day

KEVLON Anderson (122), leg-spinner Steven Sankar (6-52) and Raymond Perez (76*) highlighted the final day of the rain-ruined Guyana Harpy Eagles four-day trial match on Saturday, as the Matthew Nandu’s XI beat Anthony Adams’XI by six wickets.

The match formed part of the preparation for the 2024 Regional First-Class tournament and was played at the Meten-Meer-Zorg ground, West Coast Demerara.
Scores: Adams’ XI 144 & 232, Nandu’s XI 335 & 143-4

In bright sunshine on the ‘Westside,’ Adams’ XI resumed on 139-2 and Anderson on 83 overnight, progressed to an entertaining 122 decorated with seven sixes and eight fours which lasted 145 balls before he was last out.
Anderson and Akshaya Persaud, who made 43 in the first innings, took the score to 155 before left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul trapped Persaud lbw for 28.

Ronsford Beaton had Clinton Pestano lbw for a duck at 156-4 before Sankar bowled Zeynul Ramsammy for 10 at 171-5.
On a flat track and soggy outfield, Anderson brought up his century as he played some glorious shots to be unbeaten on 119 at the interval.

Talented 14-year-old Adrian Hetmyer, playing for the first time in a red-ball match against the ‘big boys,’ lasted just three balls before he fell to the lively Nial Smith for a duck at 223-7 on the stroke of lunch.

After the interval, with a fair-sized crowd present, Smith bowled Quintin Sampson for another duck while Sankar ran through the lower order; removing Rivaldo Phillips, who reached the boundary four times in his 27.

Sankar who got rid of Sachin Singh (0) and Rampertab Ramnauth (20) on Friday afternoon, bowled Malcom Hubbard (4) and Anderson when he missed a sweep as the last four wickets tumbled for nine runs.
Sankar was supported by Smith 2-49 for Nandu’s XI who were set 140 to win.

Perez led the way with a magnificent unbeaten 76 decorated with seven fours and two sixes, one of which cleared square cover off Pestano.
Perez flicked Sylus Tendell for four to register the third score of over 50 of the game and along with Shamar Yearwood (19 n.o.), the duo saw the Nandu XI to an emphatic six-wicket win.

The last trial match before the Guyana Harpy Eagles travel to St Kitts, is scheduled for Tuesday to Friday at a venue to be named shortly.

The Harpy Eagles begin the defence of their title against Trinbago Red Force in St Kitts, where Guyana will also oppose the Leewards and Windwards.
It is understood that Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kevin Sinclair will return from the two-Test series in Australia in time for Guyana’s opening game.