Bishoo’s 5-for, Sinclair’s fifty, Smith’s 4-for highlight 21-wicket day

Guyana Jaguars 3-Day Practice match…
Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

The second day of the first three-day practice match at the National Stadium at Providence was an eventful encounter. Anthony Adams’ XI are in control on 76-3, enjoying a lead of 122 runs against Leon Johnson’s XI, who folded for 127 all out on a day that produced 21 wickets.

Resuming the second day on 80-2 after 34 overs, Anthony Adams’ XI were bundled out for 174 after 68.3 overs on the stroke of lunch. Adams’ XI lost Tevin Imlach five runs into the day, with the score on 85-3. The right-handed Imlach added five runs to his overnight score, ending his patient knock on 28. He was trapped in front by Gudakesh Motie.
Night watchman Nial Smith continued to survive, but lost partners in Akshya Persaud (03) and Jonathan Foo (11). Both batsmen were dismissed by Chris Barnwell, leaving Adams’ XI on 122-5 after 52.1 overs.

Bishoo continued to make the ball proverbially talk as he removed Smith for 27. Smith stepped on his stumps and hit a four simultaneously, but was out hit wicket. Before his unusual dismissal, Smith had faced 70 deliveries and had hit two fours.
Bishoo enjoyed the spin on offer at Providence. He removed Ricardo Adams for 17 and Ramaal Lewis for seven. The Jamaican Lewis had slammed Bishoo for a six over long-off, but the leg-spinner had the final say when he accounted for Lewis’s wicket as his fifth victim.
Former West Indies Under-19 all-rounder Renaldo Ali Mohamed looked promising in his 46-ball 25, which was decorated with four boundaries and one six, until he was run-out by Motie.
After Verasammy Permaul had bowled 17 overs for 39 runs and was wicket-less, Kevin Sinclair replaced him from the Media Centre end, and immediately wrapped the innings up, trapping Qumar Torrington in front for one.
Bishoo, who made his return to competitive cricket in the Berbice Cricket Board Banks Beer 2-Day first Division, ended with 5-45 in 18 overs, including five maidens.
Barnwell impressed with 2-19 in 10 overs, while Motie and Sinclair accounted for one wicket each.

Sinclair hit fifty, but Johnson’s XI bundled out for 127
In the Johnson XI response with the bat, they lost Trevon Griffith in the first over to a steaming train named Nial Smith. In the eventful first over, Griffith clipped one to fine leg, then guided one to third man for boundaries, but the moment Smith pitched it up, Griffith was trapped at the crease when the ball jagged back into the left-hander.
The Smith lad from Tucber Park continued to pitch the ball in the right areas, and was quickly rewarded with the big wicket of Chandrapaul Hemraj. The left-handed Hemraj had his stumps destroyed by Smith, and he departed for a golden duck.
Smith then removed captain Leon Johnson for two; he edged one to the gloves man Imlach. At the Player’s Pavilion end, Qumar Torrington was up to the task as he operated in tandem with Smith. Torrington removed Vishaul Singh for six, as Singh edged one to Lewis at second slip.
After 12 overs of testy fast bowling, Johnson’s XI were reduced to 40-4. Barnwell looked to counterattack, but his blooming innings was cut short when he pulled a Torrington delivery to short mid-wicket after a run-a-ball 25. Perez had earlier dropped Barnwell on 10, and kicked the ball for four.
Anthony Bramble made only eight, and was the sixth wicket from Johnson’s XI to fall. He hit a sharp return catch to Anthony Adams. Smith returned for a second spell, and sent Permaul back to the pavilion for dragging one on to his stumps. Permaul was sent packing for a duck.

Sinclair and Motie took Johnson’s XI to 94-7 after 23 overs at the tea interval. Sinclair, who looked in good touch, remained unbeaten on 30 from 27 balls, while Motie was on eight at the tea interval.
At resumption of the final session, both Motie (16) and Bishoo (02) fell to Lewis, but Sinclair continued to look busy at the crease. He reached his fifty in 57 balls, having hit eight fours and one six in battling for 76 minutes. The Johnson XI innings ended on 127 all out after 34.5 overs when Sinclair edged Adams to Foo at first slip.
The Adams XI resumed their second innings with a lead of 47. Imlach began with a touch of class, stroking Keon Joseph to extra cover boundary, but with the next ball, Imlach was bowled by the West Berbice lad Joseph. Sinclair then trapped Savory in front for a duck, and Persaud (01) edged a Joseph delivery to Johnson at slip.
Perez was partnered by Foo, and the duo safely negotiated to stumps with the score on 76-3 after 21 overs.
Perez, who was dropped by Sinclair on 39, ended the day on 40 from 55 balls, including six fours; while Foo is unbeaten on 27. Joseph has 2-19 and Sinclair has 1-10 for Johnson’s XI. The third and final day will commence today from 9:00h, with Adam’s XI leading by 122 runs and having seven wickets in hand.