Dark day! Roach, Holder rock Jaguars to 55 all out on 18-wicket day

CWI/PCL Regional 4-Day tournament…

ꟷ Jaguars need 330 runs to win

Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

The second day of this top-of-the-table clash between the Guyana Jaguars and the Barbados Pride in the West Indies Regional 4-Day Championships was a dark day for the Jaguars. Test seamers Kemar Roach and Jason Holder shared nine wickets between themselves as the Jaguars were sent packing for 55 all out, their lowest total against Barbados Pride in the history of first-class cricket.

Having begun their second innings with a 119-run lead, at stumps the Pride were bowled out for 210 in 66.2 overs, with Keemo Paul capturing four wickets. Kraigg Brathwaite was left stranded on a marathon innings of 84, as he carried his bat to the end.

Roach, Holder rock Jaguars
In one hour and 17 minutes, Barbados Pride completed a demolition job on the Guyana Jaguars, rocking the big cats out for 55 in 28.1 overs.
Test pacers Roach and Holder did wonders with the ball in making it hit the right areas.
West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer, who was troubled by Roach from the first over, broke the shackles with a delightful drive to the cover boundary; but Holder, who had his eyes set on this prize wicket, was rewarded for his consistency in that he remained composed and peeled one off the edge of Hetmyer to have him caught at second slip by Ashley Nurse, although Hetmyer had played and missed one early in the over.

The left-handed Hetmyer departed after scoring 14 runs from 55 balls, including three fours; and the wicket tally quickly became 33-4 when Leon Johnson was removed by the impressive Roach.
Things became darker for the Jaguars after Vishaul Singh, who had survived a close call to Roach earlier, was dismissed in that same testing over. The left-hander who is known on the field as “Cheesy” had taken a few steps from his crease and, after a loud appeal, was adjudged caught at the wicket for an 11-ball duck.
Bajan boy Raymon Reifer was trapped at the wicket for one by Holder with the score at 39-6, then poor communication between Anthony Bramble and Christopher Barnwell saw the latter batsman being run out at 39-7. Barnwell’s contribution to the run tally was five, while Bramble was removed for a duck by Holder at 39-8.

The Jaguars innings was brought to an ignoble end at 15:17 hours after Keemo Paul was caught by Holder for a duck, and Romario Shepherd, who hit one six and one four in his contribution of 12, became the final wicket to fall — Roach’s fifth wicket.
Roach ended with 5-20 in 13.1 overs, including seven maidens; while Test captain Holder claimed 4-24 in ten top overs, which included six maidens.

Brathwaite’s marathon
Pride began their reply with a healthy 119-run lead, but Kevin Sinclair, bowling wicket-to-wicket, removed Shayne Mosely for 13 at 23-1.
That was the Pride’s score at the first interval. Upon resumption, Sinclair, picking up from where he left off, squared up Shamarh Brooks and destroyed his stumps for six, at 29-2.

Brathwaite and Carter joined forces and kept things going smoothly for Pride with an 81-run partnership. Carter, who took his chances and counter-attacked with his dancing shoes against Sinclair, looked set for a half-century, but was undone by a probing Barnwell at 110-3. Carter was hit on the thigh pad and was adjusted leg-before after he had faced 66 balls and scored 43 runs which were decorated with six fours and one six. Leading run-scorer Kyle Mayers, who came in with intent to play his natural free-flowing way, was dropped early by substitute fielder Akshaya Persaud, but did not ride his luck, as he was brilliantly caught by Tagenarine Chanderpaul at short-cover for seven when the score was at 121-4 in 31.4 overs.

Brathwaite, however, showed his hunger for scoring runs. After scoring 48 in the first innings, he reached his 50 this time around with some aggressive shots that included a sweet six down the ground off Permaul. He reached his fifty in 87 balls, after striking eight fours and one six.
Tevyn Walcott who was flown in from Barbados on the second day as a substitute for an injured player was sent back for a duck by the upbeat Barnwell at 122-5.
At tea, Pride were on 129-5, with a lead of 248 runs and with Brathwaite and Holder unbeaten on 51 and four respectively. The pacers kept on probing, but Brathwaite remained solid with Holder.

Reifer then got the last laugh when he bowled Holder for 22 made from 57 balls and with the score at 160-6, ending a promising 38-run stand. Nurse, who was brave in his shot-making, scored a 39-ball 19 which included three fours, but his innings was brought to an end when Permaul found his edge at 195-7. That wicket was Permaul’s 50th this season.
Paul bowled Roach with a peach of a delivery, and wrapped up the innings with some top deliveries. He capped off the innings with the wickets of Jomel Warrican and Chemar Holder, leaving Brathwaite stranded on 84 not out from 180 balls, as Pride ended on 210 all out in 66.2 overs.
Paul ended with 4-52 in 12.3 overs, while Sinclair and Barnwell had 2-28 and 2-26 respectively. Jaguars will need 330 runs within two days if they are to win this game. The third day will commence from 14:00 hours today.