Solomon, Barnwell help Georgetown assert dominance

Jaguars’ 3-day Franchise League….

‒ Rutherford hits 108; Singh falls for 99 for East Bank

The third round of the Jaguars’ Franchise League continued on Saturday and there was much dominance shown by batsmen in the three of the four matches.

At the Lusignan Community Centre ground, Georgetown reached 244 for 9 at stumps on the penultimate day enjoying a lead of 299 over the East Coast of Demerara. At the helm of the dominance was former National under-19 captain Dexter Solomon with a busy 84 (6x4s;2x6s) and Christopher Barnwell with 62 (5x4s;3x6s). Off –spinner Bhaskar Yadram took 3 for 68 to dent the city sides charge.
After some watchful moments, the attacking Robin Bacchus got into stride with some disdainful pull shots off the bowling of seamer Rudolph Singh. West Indies under-19 selectee Raymond Perez looked assured as ever at the crease especially against the military pace of Cordel Marks and Singh.
Added to his compact check-drives, he played an elegant square-cut to get his first boundary. Just as the calls were being made for Bacchus to “dig-in” he edged a delivery down the leg-side to the keeper, falling for 10 (2x4s).
Flirting outside his off-stump Perez edged Singh when he was on but the slip cordon failed to grab unto the chance. At the other end, Marks’ effort ball hit Perez on the helmet but if there was doubt he was hurt, it was erased when he foxed down the track in the next over to the off-spin of Rajendra Chandrika and lofted a towering six over long-off.
Perez and Sunil Singh carried the total to 39-1 at the lunch interval with unbeaten scores of 20 and 7 respectively. The lead now grew to 94 runs.
Resumption of play brought two quick wickets as Perez droved a half-volley from off-spinner Kumar Bishundyal straight into the hands of Yadram at long-off. An innings which looked poised for a long stay at crease came to an end at 27 (2z4s; 1×6).
Marks who continued his prolonged spell from the Public Road end began to make good use of the slow nature of the wicket by removing Singh for 10.
He could have had gotten another wicket when Jamaican Ramaal Lewis was just on two was dropped by Yadram at short cover. Next over Marks went short again to Lewis but this time he watched as Lewis pulled him powerfully through mid-wicket for his first boundary.
Barnwell flirted with danger with some flashing cuts over point but his usual pugnacious style as reasserted with some powerful hits down the ground.
Solomon’s entrance to the crease was busy as it comes as he picked the gaps and hit the balls for boundaries in his composed innings.
When East Coast resumed on 102-4 in response to Georgetown’s 192 were bowled out for 137 in 54.5 overs as spinners Gajanan Suknanan, Steven Sankar and Devon Lord shared eight wickets between them. The off-spin of Suknanan took 4-40 from 19 overs while leg-spin of Sankar and Lord’ left-arm spin had figures of 3-8 from 5.5 overs and 2-10 from seven overs respectively.
Earlier, overnight batsman Joshua Persaud on one and Bishundyal yet to get off the mark failed to progressed to any significant score falling for eight and 10 respectively.
The rest of the lower-order were back in the hut in no time, with no other being able to reach double figures. Rajendra Chandrika (45) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (35) were the only batsmen who looked a threat when they batted on day two.
See summary of the other matches below;
At Everest: Essequibo 1st Inns 280 all out (Kemol Savory 136); East Bank Demerara 1st Inns 303/9 (Sherfane Rutherford 108, Sachin Singh 99).
East Bank Demerara lead by 23 runs with one wicket in hand.
At Tuschen: West Demerara 1st Inns 110 all out (Gudakesh Motie 6-17); West Berbice 1st Inns 106 all out (Keshram Seyhodan 4/37); West Demerara 2nd Inns West Demerara 126 all out (Gudakesh Motie 5/25); West Berbice 2nd Inns 101 all out (Romario Shepherd 4-41).
West Demerara won by 30 runs
At Albion: Upper Corentyne 1st Inns 130 all out (Veerasammy Permaul 6 for 49); Lower Corentyne 1st Inns 263/9 (Waheid Edwards 89; Shawn Perriera 6-71) Upper Corentyne 2nd Inns 157 all out (Raun Johnson 4/49); Lower Corentyne 2nd Inns 27-0 (Jason Sinclair 17*)
Lower Corentyne won by 10 wickets