It was supposed to be a display of the Clive Lloyd Super Cats taking apart the Lance Gibbs Tigers but it was not to be.
Yesterday the Tigers, boosted by an overnight partnership from opener Shemroy Barrington and number three Devon Clements saw the Tigers overhaul the 191 deficit and putting 17 runs on the tins before the breakthrough occurred.
Clements, after batting astutely for 86 which was studded with 11 fours and one six, was lbw to Keon Joseph.
The pair had put on 175 runs for the second wicket, and, at this stage, the Tigers captain Assad Fudadin entered.
He and Barrington added 42 runs for the third wicket before Barrington was dismissed for a boundary filled 114 (16 fours).
Barrington’s performance just made things a little harder for the national selectors as regular opener Sewnarine Chattergoon was due to face a Berbice Cricket Board of Control (BCBC) disciplinary panel last evening after allegedly leading a Berbice first class team off the field following a controversial ruling by the umpire.
Barrington, playing an extravagant shot, was caught by Jeremiah Harris at mid-off, off the bowling of Veerasammy Permaul, who at this stage looked as though he would bowl the Super Cats to victory as he took the wickets of Krishna Deosarran clean bowled for two and Christopher Barnwell who was caught spectacularly by Steven Jacobs at mid on for a duck as the Tigers slipped to 252-5. However, Fudadin came to his team’s rescue. After a subdued start with his first 30 coming off 55 balls, Fudadin stepped up it a bit.
He hit Permaul on to Regent Road and then next ball placed him in the Rohan Kanhai Stand.
Fudadin followed those shots with a couple before stroking the next ball down the ground for four to reach his half century from only 66 balls. But he got carried away and was out on the stroke of lunch for 54 as the Tigers slipped to 313-6.
When the Tigers resumed their innings Derwin Christian who was on 27 with five boundaries decided to carry the attack to the Super Cats.
With first Eugene La Fleur and then Totaram Bishun as his partner, Christian reached a well deserved century.
He and Bishun added 103 runs for the eight wicket with Bishun striking five fours in his 31. Christian was eventually out looking for quick runs.
His top score of 120 came from 116 balls and 90 of his runs came from boundaries (16 fours and four sixes).
Ryan Hercules 22 not out and Herman Latcha not out on two were at the wicket when the umpires called off the game at 16:07 hours with 22 overs remaining in the day’s play.
Permaul grabbed 4-97 from 23 overs for the Super Cats while Zaheer Mohamed -3-73, Jacobs 1-27, Trevor Benn 1-17 and Joseph 1-58, were the other wicket takers.
The third trial match is set for Everest Ground with the Lance Gibbs Tigers facing the Rohan Kanhai Strikers for the 29-31 October.
