PCL 4-day cricket…. Paul, Fudadin combine to put Jaguars in total command
Assad Fudadin acknowledges his teammates after reaching his seventh first-class hundred.
Assad Fudadin acknowledges his teammates after reaching his seventh first-class hundred.

…Paul claims 6 for 28; Fudadin on 113 not out

FAST rising all-rounder Keemo Paul produced two lively spells of seam bowling, while opener Assad Fudadin answered his many critics, as the new-look Guyana Jaguars line-up took firm control against Windward Islands Volcanoes on day one of their ninth round WICB’s Professional Cricket League Four-day game at the National Stadium, Providence.
The 19-year-old Paul bowled the perfect line to claim 6-28 off 10.1 overs before Fudadin completed his seventh first-class hundred to cap a tremendous day for the home side.
At stumps the hosts were in a commanding position at 209-2, replying to the Volcanoes first innings total of 95.
Fudadin was batting solidly on 113, in company with night watchman Gudakesh Motie. The duo will resume today, with the hosts already securing a first innings lead of 114.
Chanderpaul Hemraj, who looked regal playing his drives and square cuts contributed 54, while Rajendra Chandrika made 35 in the hosts’ reply.
Earlier, the visitors’ decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired on them, and after a monumental top-order collapse they were blown away inside 29 overs.
The visitors were definitely disoriented with the bat, with only Sunil Ambris (29) putting up a prolonged resistance in a seventh- wicket stand of 42 with Shane Shillingford (24), which proved to be the only high point for the visitors.
The hosts’ opening pace attack of Romario Shepherd (2-17) and Paul exploited the helpful conditions superbly. They were relentless with their tight lines and fuller lengths, and with the cloud cover that afforded some swing, the tourists’ batsmen were not up to the challenge.
Shepherd plucked out both openers early – Devon Smith caught at first slip off the second ball of the innings, while Tyron Theophile was taken at the wicket nine balls later.
Thereafter Paul, in just his second game at this level, then tore through the visitors batting, taking the wickets of Jerlani Robinson, Andre Fletcher, Kavem Hodge and Kyle Mayers in the space of six impressive overs.
Robinson was trapped leg-before, while Fletcher, Hodge and Mayers, were all snapped up from sharp catches in the slip cordon, at 29-6.
It was a setback from which they never recovered despite the brief seventh- wicket resistance. Paul returned to trap Ambris in front, and by the interval the visitors were 78-7.
But the Windards capitulation after lunch was swift. Shillingford was run out, while Delorn Johnson and Keddy Lesporis succumbed to off-spinner Steven Jacobs and Paul respectively.
In far friendlier conditions for batting,Chandrika and Fudadin started solidly with a mix of caution and controlled aggression, which included some sweetly-timed shots on both sides of the wicket.
With their careers somewhat on the line, both batsmen seemed determined to make an impact. The left-handed Fudadin was the more convincing opener, reaching his fifty off 63 balls with a lofted cover boundary off Shillingford .
On the other hand, Chandrika who appeared rather tentative, gradually grew in confidence, and by the tea interval he was on 29, while Fudadin progressed to 60.
The final session began a little more relaxed for the visitors after Johnson removed Chandrika, caught at the wicket, at 107-1.
Hemraj, who is making a return to the national side after an absence of three years, joined Fudadin and the pair pulverised the hapless Volcanoes attack while adding 92 for the second-wicket.
The 23-year-old Hemraj got going with a sweet straight boundary off Johnson while Fudadin continued to score freely, punishing the profligacy and inaccuracy of the bowlers’ en route to his milestone off 149 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and two sixes.
However, with a bowling attack that lacked depth to trouble the left-handed pair, Hemraj began to blossom, hitting four other boundaries along with two sixes to reach his first fifty at this level.
But after facing 107 balls, a lack of concentration cost his wicket. Fudadin innings has so far spanned 240 minutes, 172 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes. Play resumes today at 10:00hrs.

SCOREBAORD

Windward Islands Volcanoes 1st innings
D Smith c Johnson b Shepherd 0
T Theophile c Bramble b Shepherd 1
J Robinson lbw b Paul 2
A Fletcher C Johnson b Paul 13
S Ambris lbw b Paul 29
K Hodge c Fudadin b Paul 0
K Mayers c Johnson b Paul 6
S Shillingford run out 24
K Lesporis b Paul 12
D Johnson b Jacobs 0
S Lewis not out 4
Extras: (w-1, nb-2, b-1) 4
Total: (all out; 28.1 overs) 95
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-3, 3-6, 4-19, 5-19, 6-29, 7-71, 8-90, 9-91, 10-95
Bowling: Shepherd 5-1-17-2, Paul 10.1-3-28-6, Rutherford 5-0-24-0, Permaul 7-3-20-0, Jacobs 1-0-5-1

Guyana Jaguars 1st innings
R Chandrika c wk b Johnson 35
A Fudadin not out 113
C Hemraj c wk b Shillingford 54
G Motie not out 2
Extras: (nb-4, lb-1) 5
Total: (for two wickets; 59 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1-107, 2-199
Bowling: Johnson 11-2-23-1, Lewis 9-2-38-0, Mayers 6-2-19-0, Shillingford 16-3-54-1, Edward 11-1-45-0, Hodge 2-0-15-0, Theophile 4-0-14-0

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