Singh, Johnson hit half-centuries on second day

2018-2019 CWI Regional 4-Day Tournament…

– Scorpions still sitting pretty

By Brandon Corlette

Both teams shared honours on day two after the Guyana Jaguars wrapped up Jamaica Scorpions innings on 382. Guyana Jaguars are in a still position with the score on 203-5, with Christopher Barnwell on 22 and Raymon Reifer on five as the unbeaten batsmen at the end of the second day. Vishaul Singh stroked 61 while Leon Johnson scored a patient 58, earlier in Jaguars innings, as the host still trail by 155 runs, heading into the penultimate day, at the Guyana National Stadium,

Providence, East Bank Demerara.
It was a day filled with glorious sunshine at the National Stadium; Jamaica Scorpions resumed the day on 320-8. Within the first hour of play, Jaguars wrapped up the Scorpions innings with the visitors scoring 358 all out. Veerasammy Permaul removed Dennis Bulli for 33, ending the 108-run ninth wicket partnership; Bulli was out caught by Motie, with the score on 338-9. The right-handed Derval Green who resumed the day on 59, continued his aggressive stroke-play taking twelve runs off one Permaul over, early on day two.
The Green show ended when he was out caught by Johnson off the bowling of Shepherd for a sparkling 86 from 81 balls. His significant knock included seven fours and four sixes. Sherfane Rutherford, who picked up three wickets on day one was had the better figures of 3-52 while Veerasammy Permaul had 3-76. Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie picked up two wickets each.
Guyana Jaguars openers in Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Chandrapaul Hemraj

went out to bat and the latter was on the move immediately. Former Windies test quick, Jerome Taylor began proceedings for the Jamaicans as the final ball of the first over of the innings, Hemraj hit a boundary to open his scoring account. The left-handed stroke maker, Hemraj was out bowled through the gates off the bowling of Derval Green for four runs off six balls.
Jaguars lost their first wicket at 21-1 in 3.4 overs; as Rutherford was promoted to number three for the Jaguars. It soon became 20-2 in 4.3 overs as the young tiger, Chanderpaul was tempted to play a beauty from Taylor and he was out caught behind for 10 from 21 balls. He failed to hit a boundary but he had three two-shots in his innings which he faced 14 dots.
After 4.3 overs, two new batsmen were at the crease in Rutherford and Johnson. The pair consolidated until lunch with the score on 53-2. Johnson was aiming to occupy the crease, ended on 10 while the aggressive Rutherford remained unbeaten on 23 at the lunch interval.
In the first over of the afternoon session, Rutherford hit Rovman Powell for two boundaries, one off a no-ball. The very next ball, Powell got the better of Rutherford and he was out caught at second slip by Jermaine Blackwood off the bowling of Powell. Rutherford 31 came off 44 balls, hitting five boundaries in yet another promising innings.
After the 42-run partnership between Rutherford and Johnson had ended, Jaguars were 62-3 in 18.3 overs. The two most senior batsman, Vishaul Singh and Johnson were task with the responsibility to bat the Jaguars out of trouble. The left handed duo played 170 First-class matches between themselves and the fourth wicket partnership was vital. Johnson was looking to end his drought of a big score while Singh was playing himself in. With sensible batting by the duo, reached tea with the score on 137-3 in 57 overs with Johnson on 46* and Singh on 34*.
It was the final session on day two, Jaguars were trailing by 221 at that stage but with Johnson and Singh at the crease, the Jaguars were confident. The elegant Johnson reached his second half century of the season with a boundary; he square drove Jerome Taylor to reach the landmark. He reached his 35th half-century in his First-class career off 151 balls batting 183 minutes, hitting seven fours and one six, which he hit off-spinner, Kenroy Williams.
Singh and Johnson reached their 100-run partnership when Singh tucked one into the leg side off the bowling of Rovman Powell. One run later, Scorpions introduced part time off-spinner, Jermaine Blackwood, who trapped Johnson leg before for 58 from 183 balls off the first ball he bowled. Johnson hit seven fours and one six in a fighting innings. It was a ranked long-hop that kept low as Johnson stood in disbelief after his dismissal with the score on 163-4. It was another innings he failed to convert into a century, as his ordinary season with the bat continues.
Christopher Barnwell partnered Singh, after the 101-run fourth wicket partnership between Singh and Johnson. The 30-year old Singh reached his 15th half-century stroking Blackwood for a single, as he raised his bat to his wife and father in the red stands. The National Stadium pitch started to play different in the final session as balls crept along, the pitch surprising the batsmen.
Left-arm chinaman bowler, Dennis Bulli’s bowling from the Northern end removed Singh for 61 from 168 balls, when he was out caught at slip by Blackwood. Singh innings lasted 206 minutes, including eight fours, facing 135 dot balls, in a composed innings. At 187-5 Raymon Reifer partnered Barnwell as the Jamaica Scorpions found themselves back into the match, late in the day.
Reifer and Barnwell ensured no further hiccups as the duo saw Jaguars ended with an overnight score of 203-5 in 83 overs. The right handed Barnwell is unbeaten on 22 from 59 balls, hitting two boundaries while the left-handed Reifer has five from 21 balls.
Jerome Taylor, Derval Green, Rovman Powell, Dennis Bulli and Jermaine Blackwood had one wicket each for the Jamaica Scorpions. Guyana Jaguars are trailing by 155 runs with five wickets intact, as today’s penultimate day staring from 10:00h will be a cracker.