Stanford 2020 sleep walks into Quarterfinals - Guyana beats Bermuda

In a much less than attractive match-up at the Stanford 2020 grounds on Sunday, Guyana perplexingly took 11.2 overs to score a tournament record low 63 runs for victory against Bermuda. 

Guyana's Captain R. Sarwan won the toss and in a surprising move, elected to bowl first. There were no pre-game expectations that Bermuda possessed the ability to challenge Guyana with either bat or ball and it was no surprise therefore, that the game's combined tally was 125 runs with the night's only six coming in the 26th over being bowled.  Given, the disparity in their respective skills surpasses the gulf between these southern and northern regional countries, it was perhaps a telling lack of confidence that saw Guyana surrender their only opportunity to have their batsmen wet their feet or give their sea of supporters a 2020 spectacle so readily, by choosing not to bat first.  

Coupled to mediocre catching, poor wicket keeping, too many extras and far too many dot balls, games like tonight's run the risk of suggesting  hype supersedes substance.  That being said, the games ahead should have significantly higher entertainment value.

The match summary, released on Stanford 2020 is below:

Defending champions Guyana scored an easy nine-wicket win over Bermuda to complete the quarterfinal line-ups at the 2008 Stanford 20/20 tournament at the Stanford Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Chasing a moderate 63 to win after Bermuda were restricted to tournament record 62 for nine, Guyana achieved their target for the loss of Travis Dowlin, who was caught behind by wicketkeeper Ricardo Brangman off Traddie Simpson (1-21) at 10-1.

The record low beat Turks and Caicos ' 67 against Montserrat.

Chattergoon and Sarwan got off to slow start as Guyana crawled to 17 off five overs, but after seeing off left-arm spinner Dwayne Leverock, who was spot on from the northern end, and Simpson, runs came freely as they approached the target.

It all started in the sixth over, which saw Simpson, who was economical in his first two overs, going for 14 runs – included an extra cover six by Sarwan, who took nine deliveries to get off the mark.

Chattergon also picked up five runs from the over, which turned out to be the game's most expensive.

Unlike Leverock and Simpson, at least before his third over, Ryan Steede and Irving Romaine were more expensive, which made it easier for Guyana, though Sarwan was put down twice during this period.

Earlier, Bermuda, despite only losing James Celestine (five), who was caught off Christopher Barnwell in the fourth over, managed 40 runs in eight overs.

David Hemp, the most experienced in terms of first class cricket, having played 253 matches for Free State, Glamorgan, and Warwickshire, played a couple fine strokes before he was caught behind, cutting at a rising delivery from pacer Barnwell.

Hemp put on 20 for the first wicket with Celestine and added 27 for the second with Garvin Aparicio (three), after whose dismissal, leg before Lennox Cush at 47 for three, Bermuda lost six wickets for 19 runs.

During the space of 15 runs, Cush also added Ricardo Brangman and Ryan Steede, both caught without scoring while McGarrell had captain Irving Romaine and Lionel Cann, both caught and bowled at 52 for six.

Mahendra Nagamootoo chipped in with two wickets, included the tournament's most noticeable Leverock (one), who received a small standing ovation from the over 5,000 spectators on his way to the middle.

Lennox Cush (3-9), Neil McGarrell (2-6), Mahendra Nagamootoo (2-4) and Christoper Barnwell (2-19) took the wickets.

Captain Romaine said they "were relying on our top four" but once they departed it was all over, because "the other guys we always knew that they we inexperienced"

However, he said "it was an experience for them"

He also promised a better performance next year.

Guyana joined Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados and Nevis in the final eight. The tournament resumes on Wednesday with Trinidad against St. Vincent.