By Rajiv Bisnauth

WEST INDIES Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Shimron Hetmyer put the Jamaica Scorpions bowlers to the sword with a masterful 107. his maiden First-Class century. Guyana Jaguars dominated the opening day of their final round of West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-Day game at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.Not many spectators watched the hosts finish the day on 297-4 with skipper Leon Johnson on 58 and night watchman Devendra Bishoo on one, set to resume on the second day.
The 19-year-old Hetmyer was dropped on 30, but apart from that his innings was one of elegance and timing. He struck 15 fours and a six off 135 balls in 162 minutes at the crease. Test opener Rajendra Chandrika also fashioned a classy 76.

The visitors did not help their own cause with a series of dropped catches. The Jamaica Scorpions bowlers toiled manfully with the fast men creating some problems for the batsmen, but suffered because of their fielding lapses.
The Jaguars openers capitalised on three missed chances in the post-lunch session and made the most of good batting conditions after Johnson won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket expected to produce runs in sunny conditions.

They reached the lunch interval at 73-0, with Chandrika on 50 and Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 19.
Both batsmen found the pitch to their liking, with the left-handed Chanderpaul getting off the mark with a cover-driven boundary in the very first over, before the right-handed Chandrika began to play fluently. But the tourists squandered three early chances.

Chanderpaul was dropped twice at second slip by John Campbell on four and Dennis Bulli had been the villain when he floored another sitter at mid-wicket with Chanderpaul on seven.
Chandrika was then dropped on 22 by wicketkeeper Aldaine Thomas. He, however, made good use of the chance and exhibited some fine drives thereafter.
On the other hand, Chanderpaul, who chose patience over flamboyance on an easy-paced track, eventually broke the shackles, hitting leg-spinner Damion Jacobs for the innings’ first six.
Chandrika hit consecutive boundaries off Bulli to reach his 50 off 85 balls, inclusive of nine sweetly-timed boundaries.

After the interval Chanderpaul was trapped leg-before-wicket to Jacobs (2-63) for 21. Following Chanderpaul’s dismissal, Chandrika made good progress in tandem with Shimron Hetmyer.
The West Indies Under-19 captain began his knock in flawless fashion, muscling Jacobs for a six to get off the mark and then sweeping the same bowler for four next delivery.
The pair batted with assurance, but Hetmyer was fortunate, though when Andre McCarthy spilled the offering at mid-on.

He eventually raised his half-century off 66 balls, with seven boundaries and a six.
However, they added 76 for the second wicket, before Jacobs provided the vital breakthrough, when he had the West Indies Test opener caught and bowl. An innings which spanned 215 balls, 163 minutes, with 13 fours.

Hetmyer was accompanied by Johnson and together batted through the remainder of the session, with Hetmyer on 68 and Johnson on nine.
The final session saw the pair continue to put the Jaguars on course for a healthy first-innings total.
Hetmyer reached the landmark from 127 balls, 147 minutes, with 14 elegant boundaries and a six. However, Hetmyer was bowled by Jermaine Blackwood (1-8) to end the 87-run third-wicket partnership.

Vishaul Singh, who was dropped on 10, was then bowled by Gavin Brown (1-58) for 22 before Johnson, who found a valuable ally in Bishoo, reached his 28th First-class fifty off 118 balls.
The duo batted until the close without further hiccups. Johnson has so far faced 127 balls at the crease, with three boundaries and a six. Play continues today at 10:00hrs, and admission to the venue is free.

In the other two matches yesterday Barbados Pride closed on 145-5, replying to Leeward Islands first-innings 119. The Pride lead by 26 runs. In the other game, Windward Islands Volcanoes, replying to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 211, were 33-0. Top scorer in Red Force’s first innings was Guyanese Narsingh Deonarine who hit an unbeaten 91.
GUYANA Jaguars 1st innings
R. Chandrika c & b Jacobs 76
T. Chanderpaul lbw b Jacobs 21
S. Hetmyer b Blackwood 107
L. Johnson not out 58
V. Singh b Brown 22
D. Bishoo not out 1
Extras: (w-1, nb-8, b-1, lb-2) 12
Total: (for four wickets, 93 overs) 297
Fall of wickets: 1-80, 2-157, 3-243, 4-286
Bowling: Dawes 9-1-22-0, Brown 15-2-58-1, Thomas 12-3-30-, Jacobs 26-6-63-2, Bulli 10-1-52-0, McCarthy 3-0-11-, Campbell 16-0-50-0, Blackwood 2-0-8-1.