Yadram, Bacchus half-centuries highlight 1st day

GCB 3-day trial match…

– Barnwell, Motie and Sinclair among wickets

By Brandon Corlette

Some of Guyana’s best cricketers are featured in the ongoing trial match organised by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) ahead of selection for the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional 4-Day tournament, scheduled to begin on December 6, 2018.
In the first trial match, played at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Vishal Singh’s XI ended day one on 249-9, with Robin Bacchus and Bhaskar Yadram scoring 55 and 56 respectively.
Under clear blue skies, Vishal Singh’s XI took first strike, and openers Robin Bacchus and Tagenarine Chanderpaul trotted to the crease, prepared to face the likes of West Indies ‘A’ fast bowler Keon Joseph. Before the first hour of the day’s play, West Indies Under-19 player Renaldo Ali-Mohammed had removed the

watchful young Chanderpaul (15) to produce the first wicket for Leon Johnson’s XI, with the score on 29.
The talented young batting sensation Kevlon Anderson joined Bacchus, and the latter dominated the second wicket partnership. Anderson was trapped in front to left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for 8 with the score on 87. Motie then removed Robin Bacchus, who stroked 55 runs that included 6 boundaries.
Bacchus’s wicket sparked a collapse for Singh’s XI, with Captain Vishal Singh being on 3 and Tevin Imlach on 01.
West Indies Under-19 and former Guyana under-19 captain Bhaskar Yadram, batting at number 6, rebuilt the innings along with wicket-keeper batsman Kemol Savory. The tall and strong Yadram stroked an attractive 56, which included eight scintillating fours, before he was removed by pace bowler Raun Johnson.
Teenager Kevin Sinclair was introduced with his off-spin, and he removed Savory

(22) and Romario Shepherd in the same over, leaving Singh’s XI on 133-7. However, lower-order batsmen Anthony Adams, Clinton Pestano and Ramaal Lewis did not throw their wickets away. Essequiban Anthony Adams was removed by Keon Joseph for a useful 20.
In the latter part of the day, Clinton Pestano and Ramaal Lewis battled in a fighting 10th wicket partnership. Pestano proved once again that he is a useful batsman, as he ended the day on 32, while Jamaica-born Lewis was on 24.
Bowling for Leon Johnson’s XI thus far, the chief wicket takers are Barnwell, with 2-22; Motie, with 2-36 in 22 overs; and Kevin Sinclair, with 2-18 in four overs.
The second day of play will continue today at 9:30 AM at the Everest Cricket Club Ground.