By Akeem Greene
Guyana Jaguars are slightly in a position of comfort in the top-of-the table clash, compliments of their menacing seamers who managed to restrict Barbados Pride to 174 in their Regional Four-Day match at the National Stadium, Providence, Thursday.
Pride’s fast men struck back by the close, leaving Jaguars 19-2, still trailing by 155 runs. Shimron Hetmyer is unbeaten on 10, while Leon Johnson is yet to score.
Jaguars’ seamers went hunting in a pack in the crucial day/night contest as Keemo Paul lead the way, backed-up by tight bowling from Raymon Reifer and Romario Shepherd.
Shepherd and Paul made the most of the humid conditions and got considerable seam movement. The former was the first to strike in the second over of the match, as he rattled the stumps of Shayne Moseley with just his third ball.
Soon after Paul, jagged one back and had Test batsman Shamarh Brooks plumb in front for a streaky nine.
Reifer replaced Shepherd from the Northern End and beat both edges consistently; he was unfortunate not to have gotten Kraigg Brathwaite on 19.
The Test opener chased a wide delivery but was put down by Christopher Barnwell via a chest-high chance at second slip.
Brathwaite and Jonathan Carter battled and were quick to pounce on anything loose when the seamers were guilty of going a touch too short.
Pride went into the first interval at 63-2 with Brathwaite dropping anchor on 25 from 95 balls and Carter on 27.
Their promising stand of 44 did not progress after the interval as Kevin Sinclair had Carter stumped, which ended his 69-ball resistance where he struck three fours.
Shane Dowrich entered and quickly went on the attack and looked intent on being aggressive to the short-ball barrage by Shepherd. He was however, struck to the head from a vicious short delivery and eventually retired out on 25.
Brathwaite’s grind of 170 balls and over two hours at the crease came to end on 48 (5x4s) by Reifer who nipped one back and stuck him in front.
Reifer could have gotten Jason Holder first ball had Leon Johnson not floor a low chance at first slip. Next over, Paul, who was a tad expensive, switched his line and length of attack and immediately got the in-form Kyle Mayers leg before for 17; Pride were now 134-5.
Reifer eventually bowled Holder for 11 and next over, Paul produced a peach of an in-swinger to rattle Ashley Nurse stumps for 11, and the visitors slumped to 158-7.
Barnwell and Shepherd wrapped up the tail, as Pride were out for 74.1 overs which set up enticing final hour with Jaguars at the crease.
Kemar Roach immediately hit his usually immaculate line to left-handers and Tagenarine Chanderpaul resisted well until shaved the outside edge for eight.
Sinclair given the job of night-watchman edged a gem of a lifting delivery from Jason Holder to fall for three. Action on day two will bowl off at 14:00h.
SUMMARY AND SCOREBOARDS FROM THE OTHER GAMES
Consistent batting down the order, led by long-serving leg-spin bowling all-rounder Imran Khan and emerging player Jyd Goolie, overcame a destructive burst from left-arm pacer Preston McSween to give Trinidad & Tobago Red Force a strong start against Windward Islands Volcanoes in their mid-table clash. Scoreboard
And, the pacers captured the headlines, when Alzarri Joseph and Jeremiah Louis gave proof of their batting ability with brutal half-centuries to lead Leeward Islands Hurricanes revival against Jamaica Scorpions and upstage Marquino Mindley and Derval Green sharing nine wickets. Scoreboard
