PCL: Shepherd rocks Pride with four-wicket haul

Aggressive bowling from Romario Shepherd trumped a memorable debut for Windies Under-19 World Cup winner Chemar Holder to leave Barbados Pride on the ropes against champions Guyana Jaguars in the Digicel 4-Day Championship on Friday.

Shepherd broke the backbone of the Pride’s batting before rain and bad light brought an early close on the second day of their ninth-round match at Kensington Oval.

Shepherd ended the day with 4-27 from 10 overs following a destructive spell after tea, when he removed the Windies pair of Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich, as well as Windies ‘A’ Team ‘Test’ captain Shamarh Brooks to rock the hosts’ batting.

Brooks has so far led the way for Pride with 25, opener Shayne Moseley, also dismissed by Shepherd, made 24 and fellow left-hander Jonathan Carter added 21.

This followed Holder, a member of the triumphant Windies Under-19 World Cup side, capturing 5-57 from 17.5 overs on his first-class debut to lead the Pride bowling. Windies fast bowler Kemar Roach supported with 3-31 from 16.4 overs before he pulled up and left the field.

Jaguars, starting the day on 185 for four, extended their first innings to 20 minutes after lunch with Windies all-rounder Raymon Reifer leading a rearguard action with 33, Sherfane Rutherford making 32 and veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul gathering 30.

SUMMARY: Volcanoes (366) vs Red Force 51-4 in St. George’s, Grenada

Former Windies Under-19 batsman Kavem Hodge struck a career-best hundred, but uncapped left-arm fast-medium bowler Daniel St. Clair answered with a personal best of his own, yet Trinidad & Tobago Red Force found themselves against the ropes at the Grenada National Stadium.

Hodge converted his overnight 87 into a splendid 128, as Volcanoes rallied past lunch, but St. Clair – not to be left out – snatched 6-62 from 20.4 overs – his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

Red Force were then floored by a two-wicket burst from left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson, as they staggered to the close. Left-handed Amir Jangoo stroked 24, but was one of two wickets to fall in the space of 17 balls towards the end of play.

SUMMARY: Scorpions (197) & 182-7 vs Hurricanes (171) in Kingston, Jamaica

And, a destructive spell from Windies ‘A’ Team leg-spinner Damion Jacobs bowled Jamaica Scorpions back into their contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Sabina Park. Jacobs collected 7-74 from 27.3 overs, as the Hurricanes were bowled out before lunch to give the Scorpions a narrow lead.

Windies Under-19 World Cup winner Keacy Carty defied the trend with a top score of 78 and Windies ‘A’ wicketkeeper/batsman Jahmar Hamilton made 40 – but the rest of the batting failed to click and no other reached 20.

Windies batsman Jermaine Blackwood then hit 70 – his second half-century of the match – and Windies ‘A’ opener John Campbell made 55 to lead the Scorpions’ batting before the Hurricanes fought back with a cluster of late wickets. (CWI)