LEFT-ARM spinner Veerasammy Permaul took another five-wicket haul, his second of the match which together with Devendra Bishoo helped Leon Johnson’s XI decimate Vishaul Singh’s XI in the second innings of their Cricket Guy Inc. four-day practice game at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday. 

The two sides were playing the second of two practice games, ahead of the inaugural West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)/Professional Cricket League which bowls off next weekend, with Singh’s XI winning the first by two wickets at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, last week.
Resuming the final day yesterday on 31 for 2, an overall lead of 87 with Kandasammy Surujnarine on 9, Singh’s XI failed to negotiate the Albion Cricket Club spin duo effectively and were bowled out for 151, with Steven Jacobs top-scoring with 40 (5×4, 1×6).
Jacobs got support from Chandrapaul Hemraj who made 29 (3×4, 2×6) while Surujnarine made 22, as Permaul ended with 5 for 44 for match figures of 13 for 140, while Bishoo who flew in from Sri Lanka where he was a member with the West Indies ‘A’ team, took 4 for 77.
Set a target of 208 for a come-from-behind victory, Johnson’s XI saw opener Rajendra Chandrika, who was given a life by Anthony Adams at point off Raun Johnson, bowled by Canadian fast bowler Jeremey Gordon for 15 at 26 for 1, before reaching 36 for 2 at tea with Trevon Griffith on 14 and Raymon Reifer 4, before finishing on 74 for 3.
Earlier in the day, Singh’s XI lost their skipper without scoring with the addition of one run to their overnight score, followed by the wicket of Royston Crandon (8), 10 runs later, with both wickets going to Permaul.
Surujnarine and Hemraj pushed the score to 54, before Surujnarine was bowled by Permaul, at which stage Jacobs joined forces with Hemraj and they added 51 for the sixth wicket, with Hemraj hitting Permaul for two sixes, while Jacobs also cleared the ropes off Bishoo seeing their side to the lunch interval without further trouble.
After the break, Hemraj was caught by Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai at midwicket off Permaul at 115 for 6, followed 10 runs later by the wicket of Jacobs who edged one to Christopher Barnwell at slip off Bishoo, who proceeded to wrap up the innings shortly after in partnership with Permaul.
Ricardo Adams struck two fours in his 9 before he was run-out, Kemo Paul scratched about for his 6, Amir Khan cleared the ropes off Bishoo in his 9 before he was bowled by Permaul to be the last man out, leaving Johnson with an achievable target, as they needed 172 more in the final session.
After tea, Reifer got a sweetly-timed four through extra cover off Raj Nannan, while Griffith also hit a four off Jacobs, before they were both dismissed via lbw, with Griffith going to Jacobs at 70 for 2 for 37 and Reifer to Nannan without any addition to the team’s total, with his contribution being 15.
Surprisingly, the game was called off at 15:30hrs when the umpires signalled for the water break with Johnson’s XI on 74 for 3, still needing 134 more to win with Johnson yet to score and Narsingh Deonarine on 5, while Jacobs, Gordon and Nannan ended with a wicket each.

(By Calvin Roberts)