A loud appeal from the Scorpions’ Derval Green went up against Guyana Jaguars’ batsman Veerasammy Permaul on Sunday as he batted on the fourth and final day of the fourth-round match in the CWI PCL 4-Day Championship tournament being played between these two teams at the National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Team Scorpions
The umpire’s decision went the visitors’ way, determining that Permaul was out leg-before and bringing the match to a painstaking close for the host team. It was the seventh decision of its kind during Guyana’s second innings.
That was the moment when Guyana Jaguars lost the match to the Jamaica Scorpions by the incredible margin of seven runs, after having secured a slim three-run lead in the first innings.
It probably took some time before diehard fans glued to their radios came to the realization that Guyana Jaguars had suffered a 7-run defeat at the hands of the Jamaica Scorpions in the fourth round of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League (PCL) Regional 4-Day Championships.
Pete Salmon had impressive figures on debut
The Jaguars’ chances of securing a victory had always hung on a proverbial thread. Requiring 27 runs on the final day of play, with only one wicket in hand, the Jaguars’ knight in shining armour, Veerasammy Permaul — who had taken 10 wickets in the match and had scored 63 runs in two innings — resumed the day on 20, while his fellow Berbician Keon Joseph was on five.
With the entire Jaguars team on the edges of their seats, praying that the duo would bring home the proverbial bacon, Permaul and Joseph toyed with the Scorpions in the morning session, both picking up and refusing singles as Permaul shielded Joseph to perfection; but Jaguars’ hearts were broken as soon as the Scorpions introduced pace into the attack.
The right-arm speedster Derval Green trapped Permaul in front to close out the Guyana innings at 174 and end a 44-run game-changing partnership. As the umpire raised that dreaded finger, the Scorpions jumped for joy, screaming, “Heartbreak!” for the Jaguars.
Salmon reflects on his 7
The Scorpions’ victory was set up by player-of-the-match Pete Salmon, who ended with figures of 7-57 in 25 overs that included seven brilliant maidens. After the match, this debutant said the turning point of the match was the big scalp of Raymon Reifer.
Reflecting on his dream match, Salmon had this to say: “Well, it was a low-scoring game, so we had to be on the money right away; so, we kept it as tight as possible. It’s a wonderful feeling getting seven wickets on debut. (I did) not (have) the ideal start with the bat, but I played my part with the ball.”
He disclosed that the last-wicket partnership was a bit nerve-racking, but said the team knew that it takes only one good delivery to get the win.
Sharing his assessment of the pitch at Providence, Salmon said it was not the ideal surface, but both teams had to bat and bowl thereon.
He noted that this win against defending champions the Jaguars would be a confidence-booster, and said the Scorpions would be aiming to take this momentum with them in the tournament.
Having now lost two of their four matches played this season, five-time defending champions the Guyana Jaguars will now have to regroup and return to their winning ways as they meet the Windward Islands Volcanoes from February 13-16 at the Grenada National Stadium.
