Rain plays ‘spoil sport’ after Pestano, Shepherd humble Hurricanes

2018-2019 CWI Regional 4-Day Tournament…

– Hurricanes 175 all out, Jaguars 97 runs ahead

By Brandon Corlette

The second day’s play at Providence began with rain and ended in similar fashion. Hurricanes were bundled out for 175 in their first innings, and Clinton Pestano was the star with the ball, finishing with 4-50 while fellow Berbician Romario Shepherd grabbed 3-29.
In the second innings, Guyana Jaguars were 76-2, with a lead of 97 runs after rain ended the second day’s play. Rahkeem Cornwall was once more among the wickets, removing Griffith and Johnson in the final session.
Leeward Islands Hurricanes began the second day 139 runs behind, at 57-3. Akeem Saunders and Terrance Warde were the Hurricanes batsmen. Romario Shepherd started proceedings for the Jaguars by bowling a testing maiden to Saunders. The morning session was ideal for the Jaguars to make inroads and

take control of the game after a 30-minute rain delay prior to the first ball being bowled.
Keemo Paul, bowling from the media centre end in tandem with Shepherd, made the Hurricanes batsmen play at most of the deliveries. Saunders was the first wicket of the day, when he was out caught behind for a fighting 28 from 88 balls, including four boundaries. Shepherd had, in the previous over, induced a catch off this batsman, but it was dropped at second slip by Griffith. Shepherd however remained patient, and was rewarded with the wicket of Saunders, with the score on 97-4.
After the 57-run partnership was broken, wickets fell in clusters for the Hurricanes, as the other Berbician fast bowler, Pestano, was introduced from the media centre

end, and he trapped Warde in front for 30 off 73 balls, including six fours.
Then came Rahkeem Cornwall and the Guyanese Jaison Peters. The latter was trapped in front first ball by Pestano for a golden duck as Pestano found himself on a hat trick with the Hurricanes’ score on 97-6 after 37.5 overs.
Cornwall watched his partners fall at the non-strikers end; at 106-7, Orlando Peters was trapped in front by the consistent Shepherd. Orlando Peters became Shepherd’s second victim after scoring eight, including two fours in his short stay.
The fifth wicket of the morning came, when Shepherd remained on target and trapped Jeremiah Louis at the wicket for a duck. Hurricanes were going downhill at 116-8 at lunch, Jaguars were on top, taking the opening session on day 2 into their own hands.
Cornwall was still standing strong on 11 at lunch after the wicket of Louis saw the lunch interval being taken on day 2. Clinton Pestano thereafter returned and removed Cornwall, bowled for 29 from 34 balls. After edging a few balls that went to the boundary, Cornwall became Pestano’s fourth victim, after he had hit six fours.
Hurricanes were 138-9 after 45.3 overs. Damion Jacobs showed his ability with the bat as Sheno Berridge partnered the franchise player. After batting for 51 minutes, the final wicket partnership of 37 was broken by Devandra Bishoo. The leg-spinner

removed Berridge for 02 from 35 balls.
Number 10 batsman Jacobs hit six boundaries in his unbeaten 34 from 43 balls, but Hurricanes were bowled out for 175, handing Jaguars a slim lead of 21.
Clinton Pestano was the star with the ball, bagging 4-50 from 13 overs, including three maidens. Shepherd had 3-29 from 10 tidy overs, including five impressive maidens. Bishoo, Permaul and Paul had one wicket each in a complete bowling performance.
After the first innings, Shepherd has 17 wickets in the tournament, while Pestano has 14 wickets thus far.
The game was evenly poised after both teams completed their first innings. Trevon Griffith and Tagenarine Chanderpaul started cautiously. Griffith was battling for a score while Chanderpaul was solid. At the tea interval, Griffith was 24 from 53 balls while Chanderpaul was 11 from 74, with the score on 44-0 after 20 overs.
Three overs into the final session, Griffith succumbed after a brilliant start, falling leg before to Cornwall. He had scored 37 from 64 balls, including six fours and four two shots. After a 57-run opening partnership, Leon Johnson entered the batting crease at number 3, and played some delightful strokes early in his innings. He hit the first six of the day by hoisting Cornwall into the sight screen for a magnificent shot, then stoked Cornwall past wide mid-off for four; but in the same over, he was out bowled for 15. The dangerous off-spinner, who is arguably the best of his tradesmen in the Caribbean, bowled an arm ball that knocked Johnson over after the Jaguars captain had hit two fours and one six in his 25-ball 15.
Christopher Barnwell entered at number four with the score on 75-2 after 30 overs. After the end of 33 overs, the rain intervened at Providence, as the players departed the playing area with the score on 76-2. Chanderpaul was on 15 from 104 balls while Barnwell was yet to score after facing nine balls. Cornwall ended the day with 2-22 from 12 testing overs of off-spin.
The day’s play concluded in a deluge which began at 15:52h, and was officially called off at 17:00h. The third day’s play will commence from 9:00h due to the rain affected day 2, when time was lost at Providence.