Day two of Guyana Jaguars clash with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force was all about the home-side’s batmen jumping deep into the fountain of runs on offer at the National Stadium, Providence on Friday.
Led by flamboyant half-centuries from all-rounders Sherfane Rutherford and Raymon Reifer, Jaguars are on course for registering a comprehensive victory in the final round of the 2017/18 Cricket West Indies (CWI)/Digicel Four-day championship.
Rutherford’s 93 and Reifer’s unbeaten 85 charged the four-time champions to 466-7 at stumps, with the lead stretching to 331 after ending the first day on 116-1 replying to 135 all out made by Red Force.
Anthony Bramble about to launch a delivery into the stands
Describing the visitors, it was simply a battle of attrition with them seeing no light at the end of the tunnel for what has been a horrendous season given that they sit in the cellar position on the six-team points table.
However, they struck early, removing Tagenarine Chanderpaul after he flirted at a wide delivery from left-arm seamer Daniel St. Clair for a juggling catch to be completed by Bryan Charles in third-slip, after adding just two to his overnight score.
At the other end, Test batsman Shimron Hetmyer who was sedate the day before pounced on anything fractionally short or full and took a toll on off-spinner Bryan Charles smashing him for towering sixes on both sides of the wicket.
Charles was switched to the Media Centre End and at first, the change seemed not to work as Hetmyer waded into another flighted delivery for a thumping six over wide- long-off.
The attractive innings which was his first since returning from international duties was curtailed when he got over ambitious and tried to repeat the shot off of the very next ball. However, this time the ball spun and bounced more and Hetmyer was already committed to the lofted drive but only succeeded in getting more height than distance and was taken on the third attempt by Anderson Philips on the ropes at long-off.
The 21 year-old smashed seven fours and one six in his high-tempo innings which helped Jaguars add 50 within the first over.
Captain Leon Johnson, who was very patient pulled St. Clair disdainfully through mid-wicket to get off the mark in his scratchy 72 balls innings before being dismissed by Yannic Cariah caught at bat-pad in the final over before lunch and the visitors deservedly won the first session though Jaguars reached 198-4, with a lead of 63. During the opening session, the hosts scored 82 runs of which 21 came off the bat of Akshaya Persaud playing in his second First Class and first at home.
Persaud, who looked very attractive in his stay at the crease was undone with the fourth ball of the afternoon session by bowled through the ‘gate’ by the tournament’s joint leading wicket taker, Imran Khan.
After that, Jaguars turned the table on the visitors with runs being served on a platter and the highlights show began.
The in-form Anthony Bramble treated the sprinkling of spectators and CWI Chairman of Selectors Courtney Browne with array of boundaries all around the expansive outfield.
He took a liking to the leg-spin of Cariah bashing him into the South-East (Orange) Stand then delightfully driving through cover. The Berbician looked in full control of proceedings and caused shrouded faces and dropped shoulders in the Red Force camp to surface.
His four sixes and two fours were a shot too many with him holding out to a well-judged catch at deep mid-wicket for a shot-filled 31-ball 42.
*Pocket rocket Rutherford*
The sun began beaming in its all of glory, further drying out the pitch which set the stage for the innings defining partnership. While Reifer took his time to gather momentum, his 19-year-old partner was going at a pocket-rocket rate, stamping his authority with some audacious shots both sides of the field.
Known for his pugnacious ability, he kept his shape, hitting in the ‘V’ and raced to eight fours and one six as the total reached 341-6 at tea and the lead building to 206. The session yielded 143 runs from the 29 overs sent down for the loss of Persaud and Bramble.
In the final session, the pair added the icing to the cake by extending the partnership with even more positivity taking Jaguars pass the 400-run mark. Rutherford laced the gaps with stroke after the stroke and the picture was being painted with him scoring his maiden ton at the First-Class level.
He entered the 90s with a crisp shot through the covers and attempted to replicate the shot but unluckily got an inside edge unto his stumps for the long walk back to the pavilion thinking ‘what could have been.’
The demise brought an end to a scintillating 161-run stand for the seventh wicket in which Rutherford smashed 11 fours and four sixes.
Let’s not forget Reifer was at the other end mixing this aggression with his grittiness, as he too was driving down century lane for what would be his first stop at triple figure mark. So far he has reached the ropes on nine occasions in the 165 deliveries faced.
Keemo Paul came and continued the assault; his brief innings was a delight with the right-hander treating the spectators which included his father and his friend from Wakenaam to seven delightful fours for his 35 in just 32 balls in the quick-fire 55-run unbroken partnership.
When play resumes today at 09:30h, Jaguars will look to continue the quest for quick runs in the attempt to complete another innings routing victory against their opponents like they did in round four, when the teams met in Trinidad at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in November.
