A CLINICAL spell of off -spin bowling from Malteenoes Sports Club skipper Steven Jacobs coupled with a solid half century by Jerimiah Scott and four first innings wickets from fast bowler Keon Morris led the Malteenoes Sports Club to a dominant opening day in their clash against the Transport Sports Club at the Police Sports Club ground.
Twenty-five wickets fell on Saturday, including 15 from the Transport team in the opening day of the 2019 GISE, Star Party Rental Trophy Stall First Division two-day cricket competition.
When play continues today, Malteenoes will hunt a further four wickets in their quest to register an innings victory.
Transport never had an answer to their opponent’s bowling attack. It was only a spirited knock of 47 from Charwayne McPherson, which prevented a total batting collapse when they won the toss yesterday morning and took first strike. While the opener was lacing the boundary with strokes (seven in total), wickets were tumbling at the other end as Morris extracted pace and bounce from the pitch.
Just before the morning session ended, Transport declared at 101-9 from 34.4 overs, only Akeem Redmond with three fours defied the bowling to support McPherson with a score of 17.
Morris finished with 4-22 from nine overs, while Guyanese all-rounder Jacobs and leg-spinner Wayne Bollers supported with two wickets each.
Despite the advantage, Transport fought back and were able to bowl out Malteenoes, but not before Scott and Morris had played their hands.
Scott, batting at six, belted nine fours and a six in a top score of 61, while Morris, batting at nine, hit three fours and a six in a score of 36, as Malteenoes reached 193 before they were bowled out in 53.3 overs.
Skipper Kevin Ross, Joel Spooner, Redmond and A. Clark took two wickets each for Transport.
Despite the fight back, the Transport batsmen could not read Jacobs in the second innings and were struggling at 51-6 from 18 overs at the close of play, still in arrears of Malteenoes’ first innings lead of 92.
Jacobs bowled a stifling line and length to pick up 5-18 from eight overs.
R. Singh with 14 and 13-year-old Alvin Mohabir, (6) on his first-division debut, are still at the crease.
