In the second cricket match of the President’s Championship 2008, Leon Johnson’s Clive Lloyd’s Super Cats virtually assured themselves the winners’ cheque of $200,000 at the end of day one.
At the close of the first day of the game played at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Bourda ground Lance Gibbs Tigers, led by West Indies opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon won the toss, batted and were dismissed for 182.
In reply, Clive Lloyd’s Super Cats were 168-3.
The Tigers innings got underway with a flurry of boundaries and the pair of Chattergoon and Rajendra Chandrika added 43 runs in seven overs.
However, Chandrika, who took 14 runs off of Keon Joseph’s first over lost his partner in a mix up over a single.
Chandrika was next to go nicking a delivery from Joseph through to wicket-keeper Delbert Hicks. His 34 included seven boundaries.
Assad Fudadin fell cheaply caught by Steven Jacobs at third slip attempting a grand heave at Esaun Crandon.
Shemroy Barrington and Krishna Deosarran added 28 runs for the fourth wicket before Deosarran was caught behind off the persistent pacer Jeremiah Harris.
Christopher Barnwell joined Barrington who was next to go caught by Zaheer Mohamed under the bat off the bowling of 16-year-old Berbician Trevor Benn for 22 decorated with four fours.
At this stage after being well placed on 43 without loss, the Tigers had lost five wickets for the addition of 39 runs.
Barnwell and wicketkeeper Derwin Christian attempted to halt the slide putting on a masterful 67-run partnership only for Christian to throw his hand away after a boundary-studded 28 which included a six and four fours.
The innings declined as left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul had Eugene LaFleur caught and bowled for four.
Barnwell, deciding to go for quick runs became the third victim for the Harris and Hicks combination.
Barnwell, who top scored with 44, hit nine boundaries.
Permaul then mopped up the tail by having Devon Clements caught and bowled for a duck and number 10 Devendra Bishoo caught by Jacobs for an entertaining 23 that included four fours.
Permaul was the pick of the bowlers with 3-28 off 9.2 overs while Harris supported with 3-59 off 12 overs.
Crandon, Benn and Joseph chipped in with a wicket each.
Clive Lloyd Super Cats were in early trouble in reply with Richard Ramdeen, who partnered the out of favour Ryan Ramdass, caught by Barrington off the bowling of the lively Brendon Bess for five.
Ramdass and Johnson took the score to 64 before Ramdass edged a delivery from Ryan Hercules to wicketkeeper Derwin Christian for 30 that included two sweetly timed fours and a five.
Young guns Jacobs and Johnson then added 51 runs for the third wicket before Jacobs held out to Barrington off Hercules for 31 studded with six fours.
The Sandwich Cricket Club player Vishal Singh entered and left caught by Christian off Barnwell for three driving at a delivery which moved a little off the pitch.
Johnson, however found a useful ally in the in-form Hoomchand Pooran, who scored a century in the opening match and they carried the score to 168 at stumps.
Johnson was unbeaten on 47 with eight fours and Pooran not out on 29 with five boundaries.
For the Tigers, Hercules had the figures of 12-2-40-2 and he was supported by Bess and Barnwell with one wicket each.
