A devastating spell of seam bowling from Raymon Reifer was backed up by a solid opening partnership ensured that the Guyana Jaguars end the opening day of their 10th round clash with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in a commanding position.
Playing in the final round of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Digicel Regional Four-Day tournament at Providence on Thursday, the visitors won the toss and decided to bat in sunny conditions, a move which backfired and saw them being bowled out in 45 overs for a paltry 135 with the champs replying with 116-1 at stumps.
The architect of destruction was left-arm seamer Reifer whose two spells with the wind behind him picked up 5-40, his fourth five-wicket haul in just his third match of the season.
Jaguars’ bowling hero, Raymon Reifer leads the Guyana Jaguars off the field after a clinical bowling performance on Thursday at Providence
The Red Force batting melt down began as early as Reifer’s third over in his opening burst with the new ball when he picked up three wickets. First to go was Amir Jangoo who edged to second slip where Shimron Hetmyer deflected the ball to Chandrapaul Hemraj. Tion Webster was comprehensively bowled by the very next ball when he played back to a ball that pitched on leg stump and swung back to hit and break the top of the middle stump and suddenly Reifer was on a hat trick.
Jason Mohammed, playing his first game after returning from New Zealand then drove his fifth ball straight to short extra-cover to leave the Red Force out of steam at 15-3.
Their leading batsman this season, Denesh Ramdin then joined Jeremy Solozano and put on 37 for the fourth wicket. The young opener flicked Veerasammy Permaul straight to silly mid-wicket where Akshaya Persaud pouched it. The visitors went to lunch at 82-4 with Ramdin on 38 and Yannic Cariah on seven.
After the interval, Cariah was run out after a mix-up with his captain and was followed by Steven Katwaroo in the next over who was Keemo Paul’s first victim.
After being roughed up throughout his innings by Paul, Ramdin was comprehensively beaten and looked back to see his off-stump knocked back after reaching 50 for the seventh time this season.
Reifer was then brought back and together with Paul mowed down the final three wickets with the score on 135.
When the Jaguars began the reply, openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Chandrapaul Hemraj then put together their second century partnership of the season to further consolidate the four-time champions dominance.
Hemraj was the more attacking and brought up his fifth half century of the season. However, when seemed well set for his maiden ton, he drove straight to mid-off where Daniel St. Clair took the easy catch to end the partnership on 109. Hemraj hit 11 fours and two sixes from 111 left a disappointed man.
At stumps, Test batsman Hetmyer, back after international duties in New Zealand, was on four and Chanderpaul on 34 (4×4) with the Jaguars 19 runs behind.
The champs left out Vishaul Singh and Anthony Adams while Isaiah Rajah and Kharry Piere did not break in to the Red Force’s final XI.
The action continues from 09:30h today with the Jaguars looking to perhaps bat once and have a bowl at the bottom of the table visitors with the aim of wrapping up the tournament unbeaten. The Red Force no doubt, will look to pick up wickets and force their way back into contention.
