NATIONAL opener Rajendra Chandrika struck a patient ton which enabled the National XI to reach a comfortable 222-2 at the end of the first day of their two-day practice match against a Rest XI at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground yesterday. Chandrika struck 11 fours from the 221 balls he faced while batting for 303 minutes, before retiring, but most importantly for the National XI, he added 80 for the first wicket with Shemroy Barrington (42) and a further 118 for the second with Leon Johnson (50).
Barrington struck four fours from the 57 balls he faced during his 108-minute sojourn at the crease, before he was adjudged lbw to leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo who bowled a tidy line and length, sending down 12 maiden overs from the 26 he bowled, while picking up 2-27.
Chandrika, who was given a life by Trevon Griffith at slip off discarded national all-rounder Christopher Barnwell (0-36), reached his first 50 from 101 balls with six fours and 163 minutes batting and his second from an additional 117 deliveries with five more fours.
Johnson faced 136 balls for his half-century, hitting five fours and one six before he holed out to Keon Joseph at deep midwicket off Bishoo and at the close, skipper Assad Fudadin and Vishal Singh who was called in to replace Narsingh Deonarine, were on 9 and 13 respectively.
Today is the final day of the match. (Calvin Roberts)