Chanderpaul Hemraj and Robin Bacchus struck vital half-centuries on the opening day of the Guyana Jaguars 4-day warm-up match at the Everest Cricket Club Ground, to place Barnwell XI at 273-7 when play came to a close.
Chanderpaul Hemraj
On a day where 86 overs were bowled, Hemraj stroked an eye-catching 65 while Bacchus played a high-tempo 51. Captain Christopher Barnwell and Seon Hetmyer were at the crease at stumps on 40 and 12 respectively.
Left-arm spinner Anthony Adams with three scalps and left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer two, were the main wicket takers for Vishaul Singh XI.
Earlier, Barnwell XI lost opener Kandasammy Surujnarine (08) with the score on 17 and three runs later Kevon Boodie went without scoring after edging seamer Raun Johnson behind in the eighth over of the day.
Bacchus and West Indies under-19 player Tevin Imlach steadied the innings with an counter attacking 67-run partnership for the third wicket but as the right-handed Imlach was beginning to look set, he nicked Adams behind, falling for 25 (1×4;1×6).
The dismissal brought the in-form Hemraj to the crease that immediately looked to put the pressure back on the bowlers while Bacchus motored along to his half-century. Just after reaching his landmark, the attacking left-hander became Adams second victim when he fell after striking six fours and the team slipped to 94-4.
National under-19 player Bhaskar Yadram joined forces with Hemraj and together batted smartly to take the score to 181-4 but just as Hemraj was on the path to a big scored, he bottom-edged pacer Clinton Pestano unto his stumps after hitting four sixes and five sweetly timed fours.
Yadram continued to bat steadily but Reifer, who got the initial breakthrough when Surujnarine edged to Rajendra Chandrika at second slip, returned to the attack and the 17 year-old right-hander played a lofted shot and fell for a workman-like 33 (3x4s).
In came Jonathan Foo (15), who was busy at the wicket in his short stay at the crease, as he played a loose shot and skied the ball down to deep-point and the team was now in a precarious position at 231-7.
Skipper Barnwell and Hetmyer ensured no more wickets fell in the final session and will looked to take their team to a substantial first innings total today when play resumes today at 09:30h.
