PORT OF SPAIN – Nkrumah Bonner’s century and a fast bowling attack from Andre Russell and Sheldon Cottrell led Jamaica to a 10-run victory over Guyana in their NAGICO Super50 cricket match at the Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday night.
Bonner’s unbeaten 122 helped Jamaica reach 243 for 7 from their 50 overs and then restricted Guyana to 233 all out.
Jamaica won the toss and elected to bat against Guyana in their final preliminary match in Group A of the tournament.
Runs were hard to come by for the Jamaicans, who were 97-4 at one stage, but made a revival thanks mainly to a 73-run eigth-wicket partnership between Bonner and Nikita Miller.
Bonner struck 122 from 157 balls which included eight fours and five sixes.
Andre McCarthy’s 27 and an unbeaten 20 from Miller represented the only other resistance to the Guyanese bowlers.
Veerasammy Permaul (2-45) and Ronsford Beaton (2-56) both took two wickets each for Guyana.
Guyana appeared to have the match in their grasp when they were cruising on 96-2, following an opening partnership of 88 runs between Trevon Griffith (37) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (65).
But the slide began following Chanderpaul’s departure and some aggressive bowling from Russell and Cottrell didn’t help Guyana’s batting.
Assad Fudadin (21) was threatening to turn things in favour of the Guyanese but his attempt at a big hit at Cottrell resulted in a top edge and a comfortable catch to Miller at midwicket. Thereafter, only Anthony Bramble (14) and Veerasammy Permaul (17 not out) got into double figures.
Guyana reached 233 from 49.5 overs with Russell finished with 3-51 and Cottrell 3-62.
The Jamaicans finished the round unbeaten with 13 points while Guyana took the second qualifying spot in the Group with nine points.
