Three-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars got the best possible start to their title defence as they comprehensively defeated Jamaica Scorpions by a whopping 263 runs in their first match of the 2017/2018 Cricket West Indies (CWI)/Digicel 4-Day Championship at the National Stadium, Providence on Sunday.
Assad Fudadin in deep concentration against Veerasammy Permaul (John Ramsingh photo)
At the helm of the destruction was left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who bagged four wickets in the second innings, to add to his six in the first innings for figures of 10-82.
Though the threat of rain and dogged batting by the lower order would have caused some nerves in the home side, the Leon Johnson-led unit kept their composure.
Play eventually began at 10:15h owing to early-morning showers, Scorpions with their back against the wall had added 37 to their overnight total of 61-2 without a change in the wicket column when a wet lunch was called at 11:05h after another downpour.
Brandon King had progressed from his overnight score of 22 to 33 while Assad Fudadin motored from 11 to 34. At the interval, the visitors would have entered with some confidence, given arguably two of their most talented batsmen were at the crease and looking well assured with the threat of more rain still lingering.
However, the second session began in dramatic fashion, with King lobbing a catch to Keemo Paul at second slip. The right-hander stroked three fours and one six in his 116-ball innings for 35.
Paul again was at his best, effecting a direct hit to send Captain Paul Palmer running back to the pavilion. The 19-year-old seemed to have the golden arm as he then had Fudadin caught at cover. It ended Fudadin’s 146-minute vigil in which he stroked four fours and one six for a determined 42.
The swansong for Paul continued, as two overs later, he had Romaine Morrison edging to second slip and in less than half an hour, the visitors had slipped to 116-6.
With an embarrassing defeat staring the visitors in the face, Fabian Allen and Dennis Bulli began frustrating the home side via their counter-attacking partnership. Allen withstood Paul’s nipping line and then an aggressive spell from Romario Shepherd. He took a liking to both Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie, punishing anything marginally short or too full.
The right-hander particularly favoured the cover drive, which he used to good effect, bringing some excitement to the otherwise dull session. He raced to his fourth First-Class half-century from just 74 balls, spanking eight fours and two sixes and giving the Leon Johnson-led unit a great headache.
Tea came and Scorpions had surprisingly rallied to 194-6 with the fruitful partnership garnering 79 runs as Allen moved to 62 and Bulli 20. The tourists would now need a daunting 289 from a possible 28 overs in the final session if they had thoughts of an improbable victory.
The new ball was taken, and Paul certainly had it darting around. Fortune indeed favoured the brave as both the inside and the outside edges were being hit consistently, but only left the fielders with ‘ooh and awws’.
At the other end, Shepherd changed his length and was driven down the ground, but he persisted with his length and sent Allen’s middle stump for a walk, ending the 85-run stand.
The former West Indies Under-19 player batted for just over two overs, reaching the ropes on nine occasions and clearing it twice in the 108 balls he faced.
As the shadows grew on the field, Permaul and Motie bowled miserly in tandem, but they were not getting the breakthrough even though they were turning the batsmen ‘square’.
Bulli’s determined innings eventually broke when he offered a simple return catch to Motie after spending 132 minutes at the crease in which he faced 111 balls for his 32 (5x4s).
Permaul then fizzed out the remaining wickets; the last of which was collected via a quick reflex catch by Sherfane Rutherford at leg-slip.
The Jaguars departed these shores early this morning to travel to St Lucia to play Windward Islands Volcanoes from Thursday at the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium while Scorpions play Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
