WICB/ PCL Digicel Regional 4-Day Tournament 2016-17
− needs 17 more for 6,000 Regional runs
Shivnarine “Tiger” Chanderpaul’s second consecutive century in the ongoing Digicel Regional Four Day Tournament give the Guyana Jaguars complete command of their fifth round match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Providence on Saturday.
Batting intelligently, the veteran left hander featured in two key partnerships that helped the home team end day two on 357/6 in their first innings replying to 162 made by Red Force in their first innings. The Jaguars have an overall lead of 195 with four wickets in hand going in to day three.
The “Tiger” added 141 with Jaguars Captain Leon Johnson for the fourth wicket before joining forces with Raymon Reifer to put on 89 for the sixth wicket.
The day started in brilliant sunshine promptly at 09:00h and it was action from the first ball. When rain ended play on the opening day, Marlon Richards had bowled two balls of his second over and was completing the over in totally contrasting weather from day one. The first ball of the day, third of the over was punched through the covers for a boundary by the usually positive Rajendra Chandrika to get the Jaguars going immediately. However, next ball Richards will get the final laugh when he adjusted the line and length to find Chandrika’s edge at 13/1.
Skipper Leon Johnson, who needed time in the middle and runs, arrived and was a spectator to a batting cameo from opener Shimron Hetmyer. The lefthanded Berbician was severe on Richards and off spinner Jon-Russ Jagessar in hitting five fours and a six before his undoing. He pulled a short ball that was turning away from him straight to Yannic Cariah at short midwicket with the score on 45/2 in the ninth over and the Jaguars had lost two wickets within the first 30 minutes of play to set up the day nicely.
Vishaul Singh came and looked business like in getting to 26 from 51 balls hitting with four boundaries but when looking set for a big knock he was struck in front by Imran Khan and sent on his way by Umpire Nigel Dugid. Surprisingly it was the leg spinner’s only over before lunch. However, Singh’s dismissal brought the dependable Chanderpaul to the crease and with Leon Johnson they took the Jaguars to lunch without further loss. Shiv was on 29 and Johnson 28 and the Jaguars on 137/3 from 40 overs trailing by 25 runs. In all, 128 runs were scored in the extended session for the three wickets.
After the interval, the Jaguars passed 150 when Chanderpaul drove Khan to cover for four in the 42nd over. Three overs later, the Jaguars drew level with the 162 made by the Red Force when Roshon Primus had Chanderpaul edging through slips for four. The hosts will then take the lead when the “Tiger” drove to deep cover for two in the same over which was the last over of pace until the 90th and Shiv was eyeing another milestone.
At the start of the 49th over, Shiv lifted Jagessar to long on for his seventh boundary to go to his 136th First Class half century from the 76th delivery he faced but Johnson was not to be left out. The Jaguars captian then moved to his second half century of the season when he hit Jagessar over long off to move to 52 from 143 balls. It was Johnson’s first shot of aggression having hit six fours before.
Shiv was scoring freely but it was Johnson who was grafting in his innings that was dismissed to end the best partnership of the innings. Johnson who was given a chance on six when Hope at midwicket couldn’t hold on to a difficult chance off Primus at 63/2 was not so lucky when Primus took a blinder on the midwicket boundary to end the 253-ball, 141-run partnership at 235/4 in the 67th over. Next in and out was Christopher Barnwell who played around a full and straight ball from left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and was sent back for three in the over before Tea and the umpires immediately took the break. In all, 106 runs were scored for the loss of two wickets in the second session while Shiv was not out on 84.
After the break, Shiv found another useful partner in Reifer who made 38 from 75 balls with three fours and two sixes before he was LBW to Red Force’s best bowler Imran Khan in the 96th over. During the partnership, Shiv got to his 73rd First Class century from the 162nd ball he faced after hitting 11 fours. Shiv who was batting with a niggle then began to open up hitting a six and three more fours. Before stumps were drawn.
Anthony Bramble who hit two fours and a six so far was with “Tiger” at stumps and the Jaguars have so far taken four batting bowling points.
When the action resumes at 09:00h, the attention will be on Shiv who needs 17 more runs to reach 6,000 Regional runs. Once he gets there, he will be the fourth to the milestone behind Devon Smith 8,084, Floyd Reifer 6,611 and Stuart Williams 6,531.
