Jaguars scenting sweet victory heading into final day

CWI PCL 4-Day Championships…

ꟷ Permaul grabs 500th first-class wicket

Story and Photos By Brandon Corlette

Five-time defending champions in the Regional 4-Day Tournament, Guyana Jaguars, are scenting a victory in the third-round clash against arch rivals Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the National Stadium, Providence.

Having been set a target of 403 runs by the Jaguars, the Red Force visitors were reeling at 122-6 at stumps on the third day, requiring another 281 runs for an improbable victory.
The third day was action-packed, although just under 50 spectators had turned up to observe the proceedings, in the process witnessing heated banters between Jason Mohammed and Guyana Jaguars players, and Veerasammy Permaul taking his 500 First-Class wicket.
Resuming the day on 53-0 with a lead of 278 runs, Jaguars lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul for 33 when the score was at 65-1. Chanderpaul was trapped in front by the impressive off-spinner Bryan Charles after batting for 92 minutes, during which he faced 98 deliveries and hit five fours.

After that 65-run opening partnership, Chandrapaul Hemraj and Leon Johnson carried on in cautious fashion. Hemraj looked on point playing his strokes, and soon reached his second fifty of the season in the process.
The left-hander, however, had his stumps destroyed by part-time medium pacer Darren Bravo, after scoring 54 from 92 balls. Hemraj’s innings spanned 142 minutes and was decorated with five sweet boundaries.
Captain Johnson continued his patchy form, and was the next wicket to fall, when the score was at 115-3. He scored a painstaking 15 from 54 balls, after batting for 77 minutes and hitting one streaky boundary.

Christopher Barnwell and Vishal Singh saw the Jaguars to lunch on 136-3, at that stage enjoying a lead of 361 runs. Singh was unbeaten on 14 while Barnwell was on 15.
At the resumption of play after the lunch interval, Red Force spinner Kjorn Ottley picked up two wickets in four balls. He sent back Barnwell for a 44-ball 21 which spanned 97 minutes, and ended a 44-run partnership with Singh.
Anthony Bramble, who top-scored in the first innings with 91, had a brief stay at the crease before falling for a second ball duck to the same Ottley.
Jaguars were at that stage reduced to 159-5, but Kevin Sinclair and Singh added 18 runs to take the score to 177-5, when Jaguars declared with a lead of 402 runs.
Ottley had 2-8 in five overs, while Charles buttressed his five-wicket haul in the first innings with 2-58 in 22 top overs.
In the Red Force second innings, as they pursued 403 runs for victory, Keon Joseph got two early breakthroughs before tea when he removed Keagan Simmons caught behind for a duck, then rocked Bravo’s stumps for two.
At the Tea interval, Red Force were 18-2, with Jeremy Solozano and Jason Mohammed settling the nerves and battling it out on a pitch whereon things kept low. The duo added 62 runs together, but Solozano’s survival knock came to an end when he was trapped in front by Sinclair at 67-3. He departed for a 72-ball 34, but Joshua Da Silva (08), who showed signs of aggression, fell at 71-4 to give Veerasammy Permaul his 500th First Class wicket.
Yannic Cariah and Kjorn Ottley added 35 runs together, but late in the day, Devendra Bishoo got a much-needed wicket when he dismissed Cariah, trapped at the crease with the score at 117-6.
Red Force crept to 122-6 in 46 overs, at stumps requiring another 281 runs with only four wickets in hand. Ottley is on 13, while Akeal Hosein is on five.
Joseph ended the day with 2-15 in six overs, while Permaul had 2-27 in 14 overs. Sinclair and Bishoo have each captured one wicket thus far.
The final day’s play will commence from 9:30h local time.