PCL: Hemraj’s sparkling 144 flattens Pride on day one

Opener Chandrapaul Hemraj struck a brilliant maiden First-Class hundred, nullifying a power-packed Barbados Pride bowling attack at Kensington Oval on Friday.

The left-handed Hemraj blasted a superb 144 to lead Guyana Jaguars batting effort on day one of their PCL Four-day clash. It was a timely note to the West Indies selectors ahead of the upcoming England Test series.

What made the knock even more special was the Barbados attack includes six active West Indies players.

Hemraj was backed up by unbeaten fifties from Raymon Reifer and Anthony Bramble as Jaguars closed the day on 319-5 from 90 overs.

Hemraj struck 20 fours and four sixes in his 172-ball knock, adding 134 for the first wicket with Tagenarine Chanderpaul, whose 37 spanned 150 balls and 181 minutes.

Leon Johnson made 14 and after Hemraj fell at 201-3, Jaguars slipped to 214-5 with Vishaul Singh (9) and Christopher Barnwell (5) going cheaply.

However, Reifer and Bramble took the visitors safely to the close with an unbeaten century partnership so far worth 105. Reifer is on 53 off 76 and Bramble 51 off 53.

Off-spinner Ashley Nurse is the pick of the bowlers with 2-77.

Summary from the other two games:

• Leeward Islands Hurricanes 291-6 (Montcin Hodge 112*, Rakheem Cornwall 65, Shannon Gabriel 3-41, Imran Khan 2-100) versus Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
• Jamaica Scorpions 210 (Assad Fudadin 81, Chadwick Walton 52, Kaveem Hodge 4-40) versus Windward Islands Volcanoes 34-1.