– Kraigg Brathwaite hits maiden ton
The fireworks that were expected between the powerful hosts, Barbados Pride and seasoned campaigners, Guyana Jaguars never went off as the home team prevailed by a massive 145 runs in a one-sided affair at the Kensington Oval on Tuesday.
It was the opening day of this year’s Super 50 and both teams were looking for the opening victory to set their campaign off with forward momentum and the crowd at the Kensington Oval saw the script before joining in.
The Pride had it all in their favour from the onset when they chose to bat upon winning the toss in perfect conditions on a true Kensington pitch and lush green and lightning fast outfield.
Kraigg Brathwaite hit an attractive maiden Super 50 ton to anchor the Pride innings and allowed the big hitters to cash in at the other end to inconsistent bowling of the Jaguars. Brathwaite brought up his hundred in the 46th over of the innings with the score on 247/4 and by then the Jaguars were already wounded. Brathwaite began with Anthony Alleyne who was first to go and was quickly followed by Shai Hope as the Jaguars were sniffing ahead with the Pride at 70-2. However, a commanding 122-run partnership between Jonathan Carter (75) and the accumulator Brathwaite stabilized the innings. After offering a few chances Carter was eventually caught off the top edge to make way for the late innings assault.
(Photo by WICB Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography)
Captain Jason Holder came and blasted 31 in a quick 45-run stand with Brathwaite who was holding the fort. Holder was dropped then was later taken at long off and was followed almost immediately by Carols Brathwaite and Kraigg. Their dismissal made way for Ashley Nurse (28) and Roston Chase to take 20 balls to score 49 to carry the score past the 300-run mark. It was the Pride’s highest List A score and their best effort at the Kensington Oval bettering their previous best of 288. The Jaguars spinners were in the hunt while the Pride batsmen took a liking to quicker bowlers. Off spinner Steven Jacobs was economical while Devendra and Veerasammy Permaul that got the wickets.
The Jaguars run chase started in the worse possible manner losing exciting young batsman Shimron Hetmyer to the third ball of the innings and with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Christopher Barnwell missing out due to stiff neck and a shoulder injury respectively the batting was already depleted.
Captain Leon Johnson stuck around to score his ninth half century at this level but did ot get the support at the other end as Ashley Nurse and Sulieman Benn shared eight wickets from their 16 overs combined after Holder took care of the top order. Pride took five points for the onslaught while the Jaguars are yet to get off the mark.
The Jaguars have a few days off and will hope for an improved performance in all departments to keep their hopes alive for a place in the final four in Antigua but its early days yet. They next meet the Scorpions, who were beaten by the Marooners, on Thursday at the same venue in another day/ night affair while the Pride will meet the ICC Americas on Saturday at the 3W’s Oval. The next Group B match will be on Thursday as well with Marooners looking for more points when they take on ICC Americas at the Windward Ground. The tournament continues today with two matches in Group A in Antigua. At 09:00h the West Indies Under 19 open against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground then at 13:30h the Leeward Islands Hurricanes take on Kent Spitfire at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
