FOUR-DAY: Keemo Paul bags 5-41 as Red Force stumble to 203-9

Report and Photography by Akeem Greene in Trinidad

After a strong start by Trinidad and Tobago Red Force yet another batting collapse this season has swung the game into their opponent’s favour.

Guyana Harpy Eagles were the happier side after day one of their Round Five clash in the Regional Four-Day with Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, on Wednesday.

Despite a 118-run stand for the third wicket between Jeremy Solozano and Jason Mohammed, Red Force reached stumps 203-9 after a late fightback by the Eagles.

At the crease are Terrance Hinds (9*) and Shannon Gabriel (4*).

Solozano and Mohammed led their side to a wicket-less second session where they added 78 runs, but it was the post-tea season when the Eagles soared back into the match.

From 178-3 in the 73^rd over when Mohammed was caught in slip for 68 (10x4s) from 140 balls, after prodding a wide Demetri Cameron (1-38) delivery, Red Force slipped to 189-7 in 82.4 overs.

The main duo behind the slide, Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie, shared seven wickets.

Paul once again produced a superb spell to take 5-41 from 17 overs, while Motie took 2-35 from 20 overs.

Solozano and Mohammed aside, Isiah Rajah, batting at number three, was the only batsman to reach double-figure.

Tough start for Eagles

It was another lifeless deck tailor-made for batting, which must be the reason both sides were eager to take the first strike.

Keagan Simmons was undone by pearl from Paul, who jagged one back and bowled him between bat and pad in the fifth over.

Rajah, who replaced the injured Darren Bravo, wasted little time getting into the act with some powerful drives and pulls that shifted the momentum away from the Eagles with a stand of 54 with Solozano.

Rajah fell just before the lunch interval and Solozano continued his dogged approach while the experienced Mohammed looked to force his will on the Harpy Eagles.

Mohammed played his trademark sweep shots to good effect to offset the spinners and was usually wristy against the faster men, as he and his partner looked to be marching towards twin centuries.

Solozano had a life on 41 when he was dropped by the diving Vishaul Singh at the second slip of the bowling of Nial Smith in the 46^th over.

He looked intent on making the Eagles pay as kept a constant rotation of strike until a forward push gave Motie a return catch for a well-composed 72 (6x4s) from 252 balls.

After then Paul worked his magic, by either hitting the pads or inducing outside edges.

Towards the end, there was an exceptional piece of keeping by Tevin Imlach, with a goalkeeper-like dive down the leg-side to dismiss Bryan Charles after a scoreless 17 balls.

Utham Muhammad then went plumb leg before with his first ball to give Paul his fifth victim of the day.