SOME hard hitting by the Police Sports Club openers and a five-wicket haul from off-spinner Jason Heyliger propelled the lawmen to a first-innings lead after day one of their two-day Noble House Seafoods second division clash against the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Despite winning the toss and opting to take first strike, GDF were on the back foot early, as medium pacer Keston Harcourt and Heyliger combined for eight wickets at the Eve Leary ground.

Harcourt did the damage early. With his disciplined line and length, he captured three of the first four wickets, while the former Essequibo Inter-county cricketer Heyliger cleaned up the middle order and tail.

Middle-order batsman, Terry Fraser, who hit three fours and two sixes, led the army with 36, while opener Dameon Ross added 32. The pair combined for almost half of their team’s 138 (40 overs).

When Police batted, Reginald Rodrigues and Paul Tyndell were brutal in the middle. The openers stroked the ball with fury to all parts of the ground. The left-handed 46-year-old Rodrigues was the early aggressor, but his right-handed partner at the crease was the hard hitter.

When Rodrigues (55) fell, after hitting 10 fours and a six, Police had already reached 120 runs.

Tyndell continued to hit the ball, and along with Kemol Savory (10), he had pushed the score to 171-1 off of 24 overs before the umpires called time.

Tyndell, who has struck nine fours and three sixes, will look to build on his score of 81 when play continues this morning.