Paul’s brisk ton leaves Scorpions battling for survival

CWI/ Digicel Regional 4-Day Championship 2017-18

– need an improbable 422 on final day

By Akeem Greene

Keemo Paul was in rampant hitting-form on Saturday as he blazed to his maiden First- Class century leaving the Jamaica Scorpions against the ropes on the third day of their 2017/2018 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Digicel 4-day Championship at the National Stadium Providence.
Paul smashed 12 fours and four sixes in his pugnacious 107 which aided three-time defending Guyana Jaguars significantly compiling a 483 runs target to which the visitors were 61-2 at stumps, still 422 runs adrift from a highly unlikely victory on today’s final day. At the crease is Assad Fudadin and Brandon King on 11 and 22 respectively.

Earlier, resuming on 106 for 4 with a lead of 273, Leon Johnson continued merrily in his fighting innings while Bhaskar Yadram just added one to the scores as he yet again looked extremely unsettled against the left-arm wrist spin of Dennis Bulli. He fell in identical fashion as he did to the spinner in the first innings, playing forward and beaten between bat and pad.
Anthony Bramble came and smashed one six and two fours in his quick-fire 26 which added 43 for the sixth wicket with Johnson.
His departure meant the innings defining partnership between Paul and Johnson could take effect. It began slowly but yet assertive, with the pair adding 54, taking the total to 201-6 at lunch with the lead stretched to 368.
Johnson, who began the day’s play on 11 ticked along quietly to 41 while Paul was well placed on 32 and the lead at 368.
The post lunch was where the entire complexity of the match changed, as the former West Indies U19 vice-captain shifted a gear, in fact it was about three gears since he bludgeoned the tourist attack to all parts of the ground giving the handful of spectators some excitement.
He hammered pacer Jason Dawes down to the backward point boundary before smashing Derval Green straight down the ground for his seventh boundary.
Test batsman Johnson at the other end was quite the opposite end, mostly working the gaps. He reached his 31st First-Class half-century with a pull off Green through mid-wicket. He had faced 141 deliveries at that point. His dogged innings soon came to an end after occupying the crease for 204 minutes when Green got his revenge, inducing Johnson into an edge.
The spotlight returned to Paul who reached his fifty from 89 balls but took 34 more to reach the 100-run milestone which was inclusive of 11 fours and four sixes.
Paul’s scintillating innings left Scorpion’s bowlers lacking confidence as all their ideas only resulted in long jogs to recover the ball.
It took Bulli who has been their most threatening bowler all match to deceive the 20 year-old with his guile and earn his fifth victim of the innings, ending with 5-104, his maiden 5-wicket haul. Paul’s innings lasted for 129 balls, 149 minutes, inclusive of
With tea on the horizon, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd with some feisty hitting took the lead to 482 when the declaration was made.
Gareth Garvey who failed to trouble the score in the first innings was dropped by Chandrapaul Hemraj at second slip off the first ball he faced from Romario Shepherd. He then rode his luck to play some assured drives but when on 13 and with the introduction of spin from wily Veerasammy Permaul he offered catching practice to Johnson at first slip.
Likewise, Trevon Griffith, who had a single digit score in the first innings, fell in a rather tame manner when he chipped the ball to mid-on as Jaguars began scenting a massive victory, their seventh consecutive win over the visitors.
Fudadin and Brandon King then added 36 to stumps but played mainly for survival, ‘dead-batting’ most deliveries they faced. King who is known for his flamboyant style of play eventually showed some signs of aggression with a one-handed six over long-off against Gudakesh Motie and then when on 12, offered a difficult chance off the bowling of Permaul. He skied a delivery but Rutherford running from mid-off pulled out a diving effort without success at cover.
With three overs remaining in the day’s play Johnson had an over of off-spin in an effort to sneak a wicket but the duo successfully negotiated the defending champions until the umpires called time.
Play continues today from 09:30h.