… Deonarine Man-of-the-Match

WHEN vice-captain Assad Fudadin held a smart reflex catch at forward short-leg to account for Kelbert Walters, off Devendra Bishoo at 16:20hrs yesterday, Guyana Jaguars began celebrating their innings and 10-run, first-round victory over the Leeward Islands.

Competing in the inaugural West Indies Cricket Board/Professional Cricket League (PCL) four- day fixture, at the Guyana National Stadium, the Leeward Islands, who began the day on 4 without loss in search of another 245 to make the Jaguars bat again, were bowled out for 239 off 79.4 overs.
Only Jahmar Hamilton (74) and Gavin Tonge (49) who shared a face-saving 102-run partnership for the seventh wicket, and Orlando Peters (36) resisted the home team bowling as Bishoo ended with 4 for 67, Veerasammy Permaul 2 for 38 and Raymon Reifer 2 for 48 for the Jaguars.
The Leewards started badly, losing Lyndell Richardson who was lbw to Reifer without scoring, off the second ball of the day at 4 for 1, which was set to be 5 for 2, had Rajendra Chandrika held a sharp chance at gully offered from Akeem Saunders off Beaton in the second over of the day.
At the other end, Austin Richards decided attack was the way to go and struck Reifer for two fours in one over, followed by another off Beaton before he missed a low full toss from Reifer and was given marching orders via lbw at 31 for 2.
Saunders rode his luck well for the first hour of play, looking on as Reifer, who was stationed at second slip, grassed an easy chance from Peters off Barnwell when the batsman was 10, before a smart piece of stumping from Anthony Bramble, accounted for Saunders (16) at 69 for 3.
Lunch was taken at 74 for 3, with Peters on 20 and his skipper Devon Thomas 4 and they pushed their partnership to 98, before Thomas was lbw to Permaul whom he attempted to sweep, for 23 that included four fours.
Permaul removed both Thomas 23 (4×4) and Peters 36 (5×4) via lbw at 109 for 5, which became 118 for 6, when Narsingh Deonarine (1 for 29), who was later named Man-of-the-Match, bowled Jacques Taylor for no score off the final delivery of his first over.
Hamilton, who fought fire with fire by attacking the bowlers especially the quicks, and Tonge then added 102 for the seventh wicket, with Tonge hitting both Permaul and Reifer for maximums, to go along with his five fours, before he was caught by Christopher Barnwell running back from slip, off Bishoo for 49 at 220 for 7. They took the tea break at 172 for 6, with Hamilton on 46 and Tonge 17.
Hamilton posted his 50 from 73 balls with nine fours, batting for 89 minutes, off the first ball after tea, which was struck for four off Beaton and, realising he was running out of partners, upped the tempo at Tonge’s demise by hitting Barnwell for four before the all-rounder castled his middle stump.
Overall, Hamilton batted 159 minutes during which time he faced 115 balls and struck 11 fours. When he was dismissed at 234 for 9, Bishoo wrapped up the proceedings and sealed the win with Walters’ wicket, leaving Anthony Martin unbeaten on 5.
The Guyana Jaguars eased back to their den with 17 points for the win along with a day off. They will continue their preparations to face the Windward Islands Volcanoes under the guidance of Nandkumar Shivsankar and Peter Nero in their second-round fixture at the same venue on Friday.

(By Calvin Roberts)

Caption:

Narsingh Deonarine is named Man-of-the-Match for his brilliant 110.