GEORGETOWN, CMC:
INDIA A openers Guatam Ghambir and Akash Chopra led a spirited second innings fight-back after their side had trailed Guyana by 126 runs on first innings in their crucial sixth round Carib Beer 2003 Series match at Bourda yesterday.
At stumps, the visitors had already wiped off the deficit and led by 10 runs, rushing to 136 without loss in 139 minutes batting in the 35 available overs, with Gambhir on 73 and Chopra on 55.
Making a bold attempt to get back into the game after Guyana were dismissed for a first innings 375 in reply to 249, the left-right combination of Ghambir and Chopra treated the sprinkling of spectators to a flurry of attacking strokes to all parts of the Bourda outfield, forcing Guyana captain Neil McGarrell to use seven bowlers, all to no avail.
Chopra was first to his 50 in 54 minutes in 110 minutes with eight fours but Ghambir, whose 50 was also laced with the same number of boundaries, sped past his partner in the fifties.
The Guyanese fielders however had two chances to dismiss Ghambir -- Mahendra Nagamootoo flooring the left-hander on 26 and India A on 67, and he was also put down by Krishna Arjune on 49 and India A on 107.
Earlier, led by an enterprising career-best 88 from McGarrell and 78 from middle-order batsman Travis Dowlin, Guyana were dismissed on the stroke of tea, their highest score in this years tournament.
The experienced McGarrell, who bolstered the Guyana lower-order with his attacking innings, featured in three important partnerships, adding 51 for the eighth wicket with Dowlin, 41 with Rayon Griffith (10) for the ninth and 50 for the last with Esuan Crandon (21 not out).
Fast medium bowler Avishkar Salvi stood out for the visitors with five for 58 in 29.3 overs while leg-spinner Amit Mishra bagged four for 123 in 44.
SCOREBOARD
India A 1st innings 249
Guyana 1st innings
(overnight 212 for 6)
T.Dowlin c wkp Ratra b Salvi 78
+V.Nagamootoo b Salvi 7
M.Nagamootoo c Laxman b Mishra 5
N.McGarrell c wkp Ratra b Salvi 88
R.Griffith c wkp Ratra b Mishra 10
E.Crandon not out 21
Extras (b2, lb14, nb17) 33
TOTAL (all out - 146.3 overs) 375
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-77, 3-94, 4-147, 5-194, 6-212, 7-228, 8-284, 9-325.
Bowling: Salvi 29.3-11-58-5; Balaji 25-4-72-1 (nb4); Kartik 36-10-94-0 (nb2); Yadav 11-7-12-0; Mishra 44-6-123-4 (nb11).
India A second innings
A.Chopra not out 55
G.Gambhir not out 73
Extras (lb2, nb6) 8
TOTAL (for no wicket - 35 overs) 136
Bowling; Griffith 7-1-25-0; Crandon 8-1-27-0; Cush 5-1-21-0; Nagamootoo 6-1-26-0; McGarrell 6-2-25-0; Percival 2-0-8-0; Chattergoon 1-0-2-0.
Umpires: Basil Morgan, Dashroy Balgobin
Toss: India A
