(In Trinidad in association with GT&T, Wartsilla and Lifetime Real Estate)

SKIPPER Vishaul ‘Cheesy’ Singh got his maiden first class ton and Raymon Reifer and Rajendra Chandrika struck half centuries yesterday, as the Guyana Jaguars consolidated their first day position over host Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in their fourth round West Indies Cricket Board/Professional Cricket League four-day encounter at the Queen’s Park Oval.At the end of the second day’s play, the Jaguars, who resumed the day on 27 for 1 in reply to the 198 made by the Red Force, were 300 for 5 off 101 overs with Singh who got his maiden first class ton from 161 balls, 216 minutes with 13 fours just before the close of play on 115 (239mins, 175balls, 15×4).
Reifer also contributed 58 (167balls, 7×4) while Chandrika had earlier made 60, as Akeil Hosein took 2 for 52 for the Red Force who used all their players with the exception of wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran and Evin Lewis, in their bid to separate Singh and Reifer.
Scores to date: T&T Red Force 198, Guyana Jaguars 300 for 5.
The Jaguars resumed yesterday’s play with Chandrika on 15 and Shimron Hetmyer 4 and saw the second wicket pair adding 57 more runs to the total, before Hetmyer looked to cut at a delivery from Imran Khan whom he had earlier hit for six, and was bowled for 31 at 84 for 2.
Chandrika, who hit Khan back over his head for six, posted his third half century at this level from 143 minutes of batting, during which time he faced 102 balls hitting six fours and one six, before he was caught by Yannick Ottley at forward short-leg off Hosein 10 runs later off the final delivery before lunch.
Overall he batted for 167 minutes, struck eight fours and one six from the 117 balls he faced while Guyana took the luncheon interval on 115 for 3 off 40 overs, with Narsingh Deonarine on 13.
Singh, who replaced Chandrika, cut Jason Mohammed through point for four but lost Deonarine who was caught by Ottley at forward short-leg off Hosein for 21 at 146 for 4, with Singh who was on 23 at Deonarine’s demise being joined by Reifer.
Reifer opened his account and at the same time posted the 150 for Guyana Jaguars with a four to fine leg off Hosein in the 52nd over, while Singh followed it up with back to back fours in the following over from Daniel St. Clair that pushed the score to 160.
Dutifully, Singh emulated Chandrika and got his third first class half century from 68 balls with seven fours, inclusive of another pair of boundaries off Hosein, while Guyana Jaguars overhauled the home team’s total with ease.
At tea, the visitors were 218 for 4 off 73 overs, with Singh on 68 and Reifer, who also got boundaries off Khan and Hosein, on 27, the pair adding 72 for their unbroken fifth wicket partnership up to the interval, which they increased after the break, when Reifer got back to back fours off Yannich Cariah.
Singh also surpassed the 73 he made against Jamaica earlier this year during play in the final session which was curtailed for a brief period by a light shower, even as the Jaguars increased their lead to 45, when Reifer hit Cariah for his fifth four, pushing the score to 243 and their partnership to 98.
Another four from Singh, his 11th , this time to third man off Marlon Richards realised the 100 partnership between himself and Reifer, who got his seventh first class 50 shortly after with a four off Khan to long off, batting for 146 minutes and hitting six fours from the 132 balls he faced.
Singh celebrated joining Deonarine as one of the centurions in this tournament, with a sweetly timed drive past Lendl Simmons at extra cover off Daniel St Clair who produced a stunner to clip the off-stump of Reifer for 58, ending his 146 runs partnership with Singh just before the close of play
At the close of play, the Jaguars lead was increased to 102 as they scored 273 runs off 90 overs bowled by the Red Force, for the loss of four wickets during the day’s play, consolidating their team’s stranglehold on the contest.

Scorecard
T&T Red Force 1st Innings 198
Guyana Jaguars 1st Innings (O/night 27 for 1)
T Griffith c wkpr Pooran b Emrit 08
R Chandrika c Ottley b Hosein 60
S Hetmyer b Khan 31
N Deonarine c Ottley b Hosein 21
V Singh not out 115
R Reifer b St. Clair 58
D Bishoo not out 00
Extras (b-3, lb-1, nb-3) 07
Total (for 5 wkts off overs) 300
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-84, 3-115, 4-146, 5-292
To bat: C Barnwell A Bramble V Permaul D Bishoo R Beaton
Bowling: Richards 15-5-41-0 Emrit 17-9-28-1 St. Clair 13-3-44-1 (nb-3) Khan 21-2-71-0 Hosein 16-4-52-2 Mohammed 8-0-28-0 Ottley 3-0-3-0 Cariah 3-0-15-0 Simmons 5-1-14-0

(By Calvin Roberts)