Panama pip Suriname for third place

With their places in the next Division 2 tournament already secured, and Belize destined to start in Division 3 in 2008, for Panama and Suriname it was a straight shoot-out for third place at Corimayo. Indeed, they produced a thrilling tussle, with Panama only just emerging victorious by 4 runs at the end of a dramatic day.

Put in to bat, Panama started strongly, led from the front by captain Soyeb Chohan (48) and Alkesh Patel (26), and together they put on 64 for the first wicket. Again, however, as had happened in previous games during the week, the middle-order could not sustain the momentum, and Suriname claimed all ten Panamanian wickets for 97 runs, as Panama were eventually all out for 161 in 35,3 overs. Only Zahir Motala (24) added any significant total to the overall score.

For Suriname, always keen and exuberant in the field, veteran spinner Surujpaul Mangal (3 for 10), teenage allrounder Arun Gokoel (3 for 39) and Sanjay Oemraw (2 for 34) did the damage with the ball.

In reply though, Suriname came up against a rampant pace onslaught from man of the match Irfan Tarajiya, whose extraordinary performance of 6 for 40 literally took the heart out of Suriname's challenge. The only real resistance came from allrounder Shazam Ramjohn (27) as all the batsmen struggled.

Still, the Surinamese kept chipping away at the target, and somehow reached 100 for 6 in the 23rd over, still some way to 162, but with overs to spare. Two determined partnerships, first of 24 for the 7th wicket between Hardat and Oemraw, and then 22 for the 8th wicket between Oemraw and Mangal, left Suriname at 146.

But Tarajiya had the final say, as two wickets in his tenth and final over, and Suriname were 146 for 9, still 16 runs short. The never-say-die Manhal, along with last man Mohamed Nasrullah eked out another tense 11 runs, but only a boundary away from the target, Motala got through Mangal's defence, and Panama were winners by 4 runs.