Left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie combined for nine
Gudakesh Motie was brought into the attack after 33 overs
wickets on day two to give Guyana Jaguars control of their opening round clash against the Jamaica Scorpions in the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League Digicel Regional Four Day tournament match at Providence.
On his way to his 19th First Class five-wicket haul, Veerasammy Permaul became the fifth bowler to take 300 wickets in the modern West Indies first-class championship (1966 onwards) when he dismissed Nikita Miller. The Albion player joins Shane Shillingford (377 + wickets in current match), Nikita Miller (376 + wickets in current match), Mahendra Nagamootoo (325) and Ryan Austin (305) in the illustrious 300 club.
Day 2 began with the home team 279/7 with Permaul (8) and debutant Eon Hooper (0) at the crease. Permaul added two before the hard working Derval Green broke his edge for wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton to take a regulation catch. The Jaguars were looking for 300 runs and another batting bonus point but Hooper drove firmly to mid-off and took off for a suicidal single and couldn’t beat Trevon Griffith’s direct hit at the non-strikers end. Last batsman, Keon Joseph was then comprehensively bowled by Nikita Miller in the ninth over of the morning to wrap up the innings. Miller ended with four wickets while Green had a good introduction to First Class cricket took three.
The Scorpions took the confidence into their batting and by lunch were 59 without loss with John Campbell playing a few shots on 43 and Guyanese Trevon Griffith, a watchful 12. After winning the opening session, the positive attitude continued in the second session and despite losing four wickets the Scorpions scored 104 runs.
First to go was Griffith whose middle stump was knocked out by a fired up Keon Joseph to end the opening stand at 73. Campbell and birthday boy, Devon Thomas added 34 in quick time before Campbell got a beauty from Permaul and was sent back at 113 for 2 after hitting 10 commanding boundaries.
Test player, Jermaine Blackwood hit three fours in a breezy knock from 24 balls but was Motie’s first victim after surviving a previous scare for a caught and bowl off the same bowler. Motie claimed the catch and the entire Jaguars team was disappointed when Umpire Nigel Dugid said not out after consulting with square leg umpire Jonathan Blade. Tea was taken at 163/4 and the Jaguars were back on the hunt.
Operating in tandem, the Albion pair of Motie and Permaul ensured that the defending champions control the game with a 90-run first inning lead after the last nine Scorpions wickets fell for 95 runs. Only Andre Mc Carthy stuck around after hitting three sixes and two fours in a cameo. Off spinner Eon Hooper bowled with control but was wicketless after causing some trouble.
Batting a second time, the Jaguars looked comfortable facing the 11 overs sent down as Rajendra Chandrika and Shimron Hetmyer put on 26 before stumps.
The action resumes today with Jaguars looking to as to stretch their 116-run lead to press for an outright victory while the Scorpions will be hoping for an improved bowling effort to give themselves a come from behind shot at glory.
