Pair share in 173-run opening stand
RAYMOND Perez and Matthew Nandu missed out on centuries as the pair batted for a session and a half yesterday to put together an opening stand of 173, on day two of the second trial match.
Playing for Kemol Savory’s XI in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) four-day trial match at the Meten-Meer-Zorg ground, Perez counted 10 fours and three sixes in his 97 from 165 balls and the left-handed Nandu stroked a classy 82 from 162 with seven fours and three sixes.
Support also came from Jonathon Vanlange (38) and Clinton Pestano (43) who featured in a half-century seven wicket partnership as Kemol Savory’s Xi reached 311-9 by stumps, responding to Kevlon Anderson’s disappointing 97 all out on the opening day.
Perez followed up his unbeaten 76 in last week’s trial match with an array of scintillating shots to reach his 50 from 75 balls which included six fours and one six.
Nandu, the son of former Guyana First-Class leg-spinner, Arjune Nandu, played some delightful shots and by lunch the pair had taken the score to 116 without loss – the former on 49 and Perez on 62.
Nandu reached his fifty just after the interval, from 111 balls decorated with four fours and a six, wading into left-arm spinner, Veerasammy Permaul, and hitting him for consecutive sixes.
Perez flicked Steven Sankar for an effortless six before another six in same over took him to 84 as the runs flowed on a sluggish outfield.
After trying to go after off-spinner Malcome Hubbard too hard and losing his shape, a seemly frustrated Perez attempted to loft Permaul over cover for Ronsford Beaton to hold a well-judged catch inches from theboundary.
Ushardeva Balgobin joined the well-set Nandu before the latter clipped a ball to backward square; Balgobin charged down for a suicidal single resulting in Nandu being run out at the non-striker’s end.
Savory’s X1 slumped from 173 without loss to 238-7 as they lost seven wickets for 65 runs; Hubbard removing Balgobin (16) and Skipper Savory for duck as they slipped to 185-4.
Permaul struck twice, getting rid of Zynul Ramsammy (14) and Quinton Sampson (0) while Sanker trapped Junior Sinclair (10) after he had swept him onto the roof of a house outside the ground, and by Tea Savory’s X1 were 271-7 with Vanlange on 26 and Pestano on 22.
After Tea, in overcast conditions, Vanlange and Pestano went after the bowling with a brutal assault before the former fell to Looknauth while Nail Smith bowled Pestano before rain stopped play. Permaul, with over 600 first-class wickets, finished with 3-81 while Hubbard took 2-13.
Today is the penultimate day and is set to start at 09:30 hours as preparation continues to pick Guyana Harpy for the Regional four-day First Class season which commences in St Kitts on February 7.
