DISCARDED national opening batsman Shemroy Barrington and recalled middle order batsman Gajanand Singh both struck half-centuries to highlight a dull first day in the practice match between Permaul’s XI and Johnson’s XI at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground yesterday. Asked to take first strike in perfect conditions and on a track that was conducive for batting, Permaul’s XI failed to capitalise on a century partnership between Barrington who struck seven fours in his 69 and Trevon Griffith 39 (1×4) and were bowled out for 218 from 79.3 overs.
Singh propped up the middle and lower order for Permaul’s XI, after Totaram Bishun with 3-19, Royston Crandon, Stephen Latcha and Amir Khan with two wickets each for 6, 31 and 65 runs respectively, threatened to rip his team apart for a low score.
Singh, a former Guyana and West Indies Under-19 middle order batsman, made an unbeaten 51 off 144 balls with two fours and one six, to take Permaul’s XI to their eventual total.
When Johnson’s XI began their reply, they got an early setback when national opener Rajendra Chandrika was lbw to the first delivery bowled by Esaun Crandon, who was playing his first match after picking up a side strain in the third round of the West Indies Cricket Board four-day match against the Windward Islands.
However, they reached 27-1 at the close, with Richard Ramdeen and Leon Johnson being the not-out batsmen on 10 and 7 respectively. Esaun Crandon has so far taken 1-11 from four overs.
In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport, national coach Mark Harper said he was disappointed to see that a few batsmen got starts but did not carry on to get hundreds, while he gave credit to the bowlers, who he felt bowled a tidy line and length.
“Both Barrington and Griffith had a good knock, while Gajanand Singh showed application in his innings. However, I am disappointed Steven Jacobs did not spend a long time at the wicket, while it would have been nice to see a few batsmen go on to make centuries.
“At the same time, I must give credit to the bowlers who kept the batsmen in check, while the early loss of Chandrika (Rajendra) would have been a setback for his team, but Johnson and Ramdeen are there and they can set about repairing the early damage, which would be a good thing.”
The former national middle order batsman also said he is looking to put together a good batting line-up when Guyana confront the English Lions next weekend in the fifth round of the competition, when quizzed about skipper Assad Fudadin being asked to open the batting.
Today is the second and final day of the match that was scheduled to be a three-day affair, but due to scheduled Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) matches at both the first and second division levels, where some of the players will be involved, it is now a two-day one and play will get under way at 09:30 h.