By Rajiv Bisnauth

ALL-ROUNDER Keemo Paul produced a lively spell of seam bowling, while opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul answered his many critics, as the Guyana Jaguars took firm control against Windward Islands Volcanoes on day two of their fourth round Cricket West Indies (CWI)  Regional Four-day encounter.

The 20-year-old Paul bowled the perfect line to claim 4-24 off eight overs while Chanderpaul completed his second first-class hundred to cap a tremendous day for the home side.

At stumps the visitors suffered a monumental top-order collapse and were 99-5, replying to the Jaguars 454-9 declared.

However, it was Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 117, an innings which he faced 484 balls, spanning little more than 9½ hours and counting 10 boundaries, and a well-crafted 72 from Romario Shepherd which took precedence early in the day, that lifted the four-time defending champions to their imposing total after resuming from their overnight 307-6.

Shepherd resumed his knock on a positive note, hitting Shermon Lewis’ first and fourth balls of the morning for well-timed boundaries, so too did Chanderpaul with a straight boundary off Ray Jordan.

It was visibly poor bowling from the tourists even though the ball was still relatively hard in the morning.

The pair were able to settle nicely and continued the Jaguars’ dominance with the 22-year-old Chanderpaul helping himself to a couple of sweetly-timed boundaries to move closer to the milestone, after resuming on 71.

The right-hander Shepherd, at the other end, continued to score freely, hitting left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge for a six and a four to reach his fifty off 118 balls while the left-hander Chanderpaul eventually brought up his hundred, clipping Josh Thomas to mid-wicket for a double.

It took the former West Indies youth player 424 balls, 469 minutes with seven boundaries to reach the landmark, and by lunch the partnership was worth 113, with the Jaguars on 403-6.

Although the tourists enjoyed a slightly more successful post-lunch session, with three wickets, the hosts maintained their ascendency.

It wasn’t the perfect start to the session. Having completely dominated the first, the Jaguars lost Shepherd, caught at first slip off Thomas (4-94), bringing an end a 121-run stand, an innings which lasted 142 balls with six fours and two sixes.

Clinton Pestano came to the crease and proved that his all-round ability is quickly coming to the forefront, with a quick-fire 20 before he was dismissed, caught on the long-on boundary off Jordan, who ended with figures of 2-94.

However, Veerasammy Permaul did not last long and his dismissal triggered the declaration a few overs later.

Volcanoes then survived a testing five overs before the tea interval, reaching 19 without loss.

Devon Smith and Taryck Gabriel put together 38 for the first wicket before Paul came on as first change and was relentless with his tight lines and fuller lengths, which provided him some swing.

He broke the promising stand, inducing an outside edge from the left-hander Smith (17), and Trevon Griffith, at second slip, held on to a superb catch to his left. Paul then removed Roland Cato (14), and Kirk Edwards (4), from sharp catches in the slip cordon, while Hodge was taken at the wicket without scoring.

The visitors were definitely disoriented with the bat, losing Gabriel, caught and bowled by Permaul for 23 just before the close.

Alick Athanaza (25 not out) and Denis Smith (3 not out) will resume today with the Volcanoes trailing by 355 runs.

SCOREBOARD
GUYANA JAGUARS 1st innings (o/n 307-6)
T. Chanderpaul not out 117
T. Griffith c wkp. Denis Smith b Thomas 14
L. Johnson c Cato b Lewis 5
S. Hetmyer c Devon Smith b Jordan 26
A. Bramble c Devon Smith b Thomas 168
S. Rutherford c wkp. Denis Smith b Thomas 0
K. Paul run-out (Lewis) 3
R. Shepherd c Devon Smith Thomas 72
C. Pestano c Cato b Jordan 20
V. Permaul c Devon Smith b Edwards 3
G. Motie not out 5
Extras: (lb-2, w-1, nb-18) 21
Total: (nine wickets decl’d, 148 overs) 454
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-27, 3-71, 4-280, 5-280, 6-290, 7-411, 8-443, 9-448.
Bowling: Thomas 25-2-94-4, Lewis 24-5-80-1, Jordan 18-3-56-2, L. Edwards 48-11-108-1, Hodge 30-6-93-0, Athanaze 3-0-21-0.

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 1st innings
Devon Smith c Griffith b Paul 17
T. Gabriel c&b Permaul 23
R. Cato c Griffith b Paul 14
K. Edwards c Griffith b Paul 4
K. Hodge c wkp. Bramble b Paul 0
A. Athanaze not out 25
Denis Smith not out 3
Extras: (2-lb, 11-nb) 12
Total: (five wickets, 33 overs) 99
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-56, 3-63, 4-63, 5-81.
Bowling: Pestano 6-1-26-0, Shepherd 4-0-21-0, Johnson 1-0-4-0, Paul 8-1-24-4, Permaul 10-7-12-1, Motie 4-1-10-0.