… half-centuries from Chattergoon and Deonarine
A RESILIENT and unbeaten century from Assad Fudadin, coupled with half-centuries from Sewnarine Chattergoon (95) and the in-form Narsingh Deonarine (61*) helped stabilise the National XI at the close of play on the first day of their practice match against the Invitational XI at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground yesterday.

Centurion Assad Fudadin (right) and his partner Narsingh Deonarine leave the field of play at the end of the first day of their team’s three-day practice match against an Invitational XI yesterday. (Photo by Calvin Roberts)

Christopher Barnwell has so far taken 3-58 for the Invitational XI, but it was not enough to prevent the National XI, who will leave for their first game against Trinidad and Tobago in Antigua next Tuesday, from closing on 302-4, with Fudadin and Deonarine sharing an unbroken 114-run fifth-wicket stand.

Opting to bat first in sunny conditions, the National XI were given a sound start by Travis Dowlin 19 (3×4) and Sewnarine Chattergoon, with the former hitting discarded national fast bowler Trevon Garraway through midwicket and extra cover for four, followed by another off Christopher Barnwell through midwicket in the bowler’s first over, as they posted 32 for the first wicket.

Chattergoon also joined the boundary-scoring act, with an authoritative straight drive off Garraway which had four written all over it from the time it left the bat and beat Steven Jacobs at mid on, while he steered a short delivery from the same bowler past a diving Dion Ferrier at gully point for another boundary.

Barnwell retaliated in his second over, when he had Dowlin caught by Gajanand Singh at short midwicket to leave the National XI on 38-1 and at lunch, they were 76-1 with Chattergoon on 39 and the in-form Fudadin who had struck Steven Jacobs for a six and four off successive deliveries, on 18.

Chattergoon, who had missed the first practice game due to illness of a close family member, reached his half-century after lunch from the 100th delivery he faced, hitting five of them for four, while Fudadin caressed Steven Latcha through extra cover for four.

An outside edge from Chattergoon off Garraway flew past Wasim Haslim on its way to the third man boundary, as the Invitational XI tried desperately to separate the pair who took their team to 152-1 at tea, with Chattergoon on 82 and Fudadin 45, as they added 120 for the second wicket at that time.

Chattergoon inched closer to his first ton of the year, when he drove the first delivery of the first over which was bowled by Jacobs after tea for four, followed by a six into the adjoining Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground to move into the 90s.

Fudadin then joined the fray with a sweep for four off Ferrier, and after posting his 50 from 106 balls with six fours and one maximum he showed his consistent form with a four and a six from successive deliveries off Barnwell who had replaced Jacobs at the North Road end.

Chattergoon failed to reach his century, as he was given out lbw to Ferrier five runs short of the target, having faced 170 balls and hit 11 fours and one six. He was quickly followed by Royston Crandon (0) who failed to trouble the scorers, offering Gajanand Singh a comfortable catch off Barnwell driving to a well-pitched up delivery, which left the National XI on 182-3, in the fifth over after tea.

Vishal Singh 6 (1×4) replaced Royston Crandon and after getting a four from a top edge pull from the first delivery he faced from Barnwell, had to survive a torrid spell of short-pitched bowling from the same bowler.

Barnwell eventually had Singh, who replaced Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the team, making his way to the pavilion when he offered Shemroy Barrington an easy catch at forward short leg from a short delivery, one of many that were thrown at him in the over.

For a batsman of his calibre and talent, it was certainly a soft dismissal. He found it difficult to handle the short deliveries on a flat track, against a bowling attack that would not be as fast as what he would be facing on the Regional scene.

A pugnacious straight drive from Fudadin, who was dropped by Latcha at backward square leg off a hyped up Barnwell on 67 at 200-4, made amends with an audacious drive off the same bowler two deliveries later through extra cover for four.

Deonarine, who became the first batsman to score over 1 000 runs in a West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) first class season, displayed his authority over the Invitational XI with three sixes off Ferrier, while Fudadin also struck the same bowler for a maximum as the National XI moved to 236-4.

With the shadows lengthening across the pitch, Deonarine played what could be described as the shot of the day, when he drove Garraway exquisitely and audaciously, filled with timing, through the covers for four.

Fudadin moved into the 90s with a pull through midwicket off a tired-looking Garraway for four, while Deonarine pulled Garraway to the backward square leg boundary for four to move to 48, but Fudadin dutifully reached his ton, when he drove Latcha down to long on for his 13th four, whilst facing 165 balls and hitting two sixes in the process.

Deonarine got to his 50, made off 58 balls with three fours and a similar number of sixes and celebrated same with a six over midwicket off Latcha just before the close of pla
y, which saw the National XI on 302-4.
Play will continue today from 09:30 h at the same venue.