On a first day that yielded 17 wickets and saw a solid all-round effort from Raymon Reifer, defending champions Guyana Jaguars closed with a crucial 86-run lead over Barbados Pride in ninth round action of Cricket West Indies’ Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day championship at Providence.
By stumps on Thursday, Jaguars reached 162-7 after dismissing the visiting side for a meagre 76 in 29.1 overs. Pride had won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, that decision backfired almost immediately as they slumped to 28-5 and then 50-9. A last wicket partnership of 26 between Miguel Cummins and Chaim Holder was the highest of the innings.
Reifer, a Bajan by birth, was the chief wicket-taker, claiming splendid figures of 5-20 from 10 overs. Christopher Barnwell claimed 2-26. Holder, batting at number 11, topscored with 22.
Defending champions Jaguars, hunting a fifth straight title, endured a collapse of their own, slipping to 78-5, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul (19), Chandrapaul Hemraj (9), Vishaul Singh (33), Leon Johnson (1) and Barnwell (2) all back in the dugout.
Reifer then forged partnerships of 26 with Anthony Bramble (23), 36 with Sherfane Rutherford (15), and an unbroken 22 with Romario Shepherd (7*) as Jaguars accumulated valuable runs in the final session.
The left-handed Reifer crowned an excellent day with 33 not out. Jonathan Carter has so far picked up 3-45, while Miguel Cummins has 2-39.
Summary of the other two games
At Arnos Vale: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 254-6 (Pierre 80*, Khan 71*, Cariah 36, Lewis 3-54) v Windward Islands Volcanoes
At Sabina Park: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 210 (Thomas 65, Hamilton 43, Hodge 35, Miller 7-50) v Jamaica Scorpions 77-2 (King 35*, Blackwood 31*)
