Jaguars restricted to 196 on opening day after Cornwall’s 4-for

– Hurricanes 57-3 at stumps

By Brandon Corlette

In the top-of-the-table clash between Guyana Jaguars and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, the visitors had the edge on the opening day. Giant off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall grabbed 4-70 to restrict Jaguars to 196, after Christopher Barnwell’s 58. In Hurricanes’ first innings, they lost their best batsmen in Kieran Powell, Montcin Hodge and Keacy Carty. Clinton Pestano, Veerasammy Permaul and Keemo Paul have one wicket each thus far.
Under a bit of cloud cover in the morning session at the National Stadium at Providence, Captain Leon Johnson won the toss and opted to bat. On the second

prepared pitch that was covered with grass, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Trevon Griffith went out to bat. The lively Jeremiah Louis and Sheno Berridge started proceedings with the ball for Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
Jaguars opened their scoring account with a sharp single, taken off Chanderpaul off the bowling of Berridge. Bowling from the media centre end, Louis kept coming at Griffith, who continued to fail at the top of the innings. He was out for 02 when he played away from his body and was out caught at mid-off by Captain Kieran Powell.
Hurricanes had a brilliant start after they were asked to bowl; Leon Johnson, who is short of runs, came looking to score at number 3. Johnson got off to the perfect start, hitting the first ball for four, which was a short ball that stood up and was hooked to fine leg.
Chanderpaul checked one down the ground off Berridge to score his first

boundary. The runs began to flow for the Jaguars as Johnson pulled Berridge for six as the score moved on to 23-1. Jaguar’s captain was batting with intent, picking up boundaries early in his innings, outscoring the solid Chanderpaul. In the 18th over, he was bowled by Cornwall, the 50 run-mark came up.
Hurricanes captain Powell introduced spinners at both ends. Cornwall, bowling from the southern end, removed the Jaguars wall in Chanderpaul in the 28th over. After facing 78 balls for his 22 runs, including three fours, Chanderpaul edged a Cornwall delivery and was caught at first-slip by Powell. The 63-run Chanderpaul-Johnson partnership was broken, as the Hurricanes showed some fight in the first session.
After 27.2 overs, Jaguars were 67-2, and replacement player Christopher Barnwell partnered his captain, Johnson. Barnwell got off the mark in streaky fashion, edging Cornwall for four in the third-man region. At the lunch interval, Jaguars were 77-2 after 31 overs; Johnson was unbothered at 39 from 80, which included seven fours and one six, while Barnwell was unbeaten on eight from 14 balls.
Leon Johnson, who looked set to score a big one, fell 11.2 overs after the lunch break. After adding 46 runs with Barnwell, Johnson was trapped in front by Orlando Peters for a composed 44 from 118 balls. Johnson’s innings included seven fours and one six as he fell with the score on 113-3.
Barnwell, returning to the team, was sound as he reached his tenth First-class half-century turning an Orlando Peters ball into the leg-side for one. Bramble, the Jaguars leading batsman this season, partnered Barnwell and steadied the ship. Barnwell and Bramble added 35 runs together, until Barnwell fell in usual fashion, hitting one in the air straight to mid-on.
Powell grabbed his third catch of the match when Barnwell fell to leg-spinner Damion Jacobs with the score on 148-4. Barnwell scored 58 from 84 balls, including 11 fours. Another Jaguars batsmen fell with the score on 148. Bramble was trapped in front to Cornwall. The Berbician Bramble fell for 12 from 24 balls, inclusive of two fours.
The Hurricanes spinners bowled with control on a pitch that offered little to the spinners. Sherfane Rutherford came and hit a six over long-off, but lost his wicket via the run out route. Shepherd was at the striker’s end when Rutherford attempted a suicidal run, and Cornwall easily took the bails off from a Damion Jacobs return.
Wickets fell in clustered for the Jaguars as they slumped to 156-7 in 55.3 overs. Keemo Paul partnered Shepherd, but the poor batting continued for the Jaguars. Shepherd was out caught at mid-on when he attempted a big swipe off Cornwall.
Shepherd fell with the score on 158-7 in 59.4 overs, as all-rounders Keemo Paul and Clinton Pestano were asked to rebuild post the tea interval. Paul, who has a First-class century to his name, played positive strokes although wickets fell around him. At the tea interval, Hurricanes were on top, with Jaguars on 172-7 after 62 overs; Paul was unbeaten on 15 from 22 balls and Pestano was on one.
The second session was productive for the Hurricanes, picking up five Jaguars wickets for 95 runs. Jaguars fell short of 200; they were bundled out for 196 all out. Keemo Paul played positive strokes but he watched Pestano (02) and Permaul (00) fall in quick succession. Pestano was trapped in front by leg-spinner Jacobs, while Permaul was out caught off the bowling of Jacobs. Paul was the final man dismissed for a well-played 32 from 44 balls, including four boundaries and one six. It took 18 minutes after tea for the final three Jaguars wickets to fall. Off-spinner Cornwall was the pick of the bowlers with 4-70 in 21.5 overs, while Jamaican leg-spinner Damion Jacobs grabbed 3-15 from 11 brilliant overs. Louis and Peters had one wicket each in a good Hurricanes bowling display.
Hurricanes openers Montcin Hodge and Kieran Powell went out to bat at 14:55h under scintillating sunshine at Providence. Paul and Pestano began proceedings for the Jaguars. The experienced Hurricanes duo looked unbothered at the crease early in the innings.
However, Pestano, the big Berbician who plays for Rose Hall Town, was lively bowling from the northern end. He trapped the prize wicket of Kieran Powell out leg before for four with the score on 18-1. Former Windies under 19 player Keacy Carty partnered Hodge in the sixth over, but two overs after, Hodge was undone by Keemo Paul with the score on 26-2. Hodge, the leading Hurricanes batsman this season, was out caught by Bishoo for 16.
Jaguar’s bowlers kept probing away, as Carty played a reckless shot and was out for 12 off the bowling of Permaul. He skied a delivery when the ever-dependable fielder Griffith pouched. At 40-3, Akeem Saunders and Terrance Wade were at the crease, and the pair ensured no further hiccups as they ended the day on 57-3 after 24 overs. Saunders is unbeaten on 15 while Wade is on seven. The second day’s play will commence from 9:30h at the National Stadium Providence.