West Indies Championships: GHE stifle, but could not bowl out, Red Force on Day 1

The Guyana Harpy Eagles have had a strong start to their 7th Round clash with the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the West Indies Championships, but have not been able to rout them on day one.

The visiting GHE have reduced the hosts, T&T Red Force, to 214-7 at close of play, but have been unable to bowl them out altogether because the killer instinct was again missing, as was evident by their inability to rout the opposition before the end of the day’s play.

With the match being played at the Queen’s Park Oval in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, the Harpy Eagles opted to bowl first, and Kamil Pooran was the first of the Trinidadian batters to go. He made 4, but was unable to contend with Keemo Paul’s pace.
Paul struck twice after, removing Amir Jangoo and Jason Mohammed cheaply before lunch. However, the pair of opener Cephas Cooper and Captain Joshua DaSilva put up some resistance with a 63-run partnership.
Cooper got to his fifty off 99 balls before the Harpy Eagles introduced spin, which resulted in him becoming Veerasammy Permaul’s first victim. Two overs later, a juggle and an ensuing brilliant catch from Kevin Sinclair off Nial Smith’s bowling accounted for the dismissal of Joshua DaSilva for 25 runs off 58 deliveries.

Khary Pierre and Jyd Goolie gave the hosts another strong partnership, which took them safely to the tea interval. After the break, Pierre and Goolie maximised their partnership to span 79 runs, which took the hosts safely past the 150-run mark.
Pierre, however, was caught on 38 runs made from 34 deliveries, while Goolie went on to compete his half-century. Terrence Hinds had a brief stay at the wicket, surviving a catch taken by Sinclair that was later determined to be grounded. Not too long after, though, Ronaldo Alimohamed gave Hinds his marching orders, after he had made 19 runs off 34 balls.
Unbeaten on 57 off 151 deliveries, including 6 boundaries, Goolie guided his side to close of play. Joshua James at the other end was, however, yet to make his mark.
For the Guyanese bowlers, Keemo Paul claimed 3-38 from 14.3 overs, while Nial Smith took 2-39 off 9 overs. Ronaldo Alimohamed and Veerasammy Permaul each claimed one scalp.
Action in this four-day contest would resume at 10:00hrs today.