The batting display yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda, again underscored what coach Mark Harper and captain Assad Fudadin have been saying all along.
Batsmen, on the final day of the two-day match,
got starts but again squandered them as they prepare to play the England Lions next week in the fifth round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) First Class tournament. Fudadin had said after his team’s defeat by the Windward Islands that the batsmen “are finding ways to get out.”
It seemed a truism yesterday.
Captain Leon Johnson, resuming on his overnight score of seven, slashed at a wide Steven Jacobs delivery and was caught at first slip by Veerasammy Permaul for 40. The stylish left hander built his innings from 110 balls, which included three boundaries, and 137 minutes at the crease.
Earlier, Johnson was involved in a 48-run, second wicket partnership with Richard Ramdeen (16).
Royston Crandon was in control of his innings up to the point when the rains came at 14:53 hours. He went in on 39 and 20 minutes after, when play resumed he lost his wicket to Permaul without any addition; his innings lasted 215 minutes while he faced 111 balls and hit one four and a six.
Vishal Singh was also guilty of gifting his wicket to Esaun Crandon, who returned from injury to grab 4-18 (10). The ball before the rain interval, Singh attempted to fend off a short rising delivery and spooned it into the air for Crandon to take a comfortable return catch.
With Singh’s (19) dismissal, a 46-run fourth wicket stance with Crandon was broken to leave Johnson’s XI on 134-4, replying to Permaul XI’s 218-7. Subsequently, Esaun Crandon ripped through the frail batting lineup before Harper called an end to the innings on 158-7 from 64 overs.
Crandon got support from Jacobs (1-9), Permaul (1-17) and Zaheer Mohammed (1-40).
When Permaul’s XI batted a second time, Shemroy Barrington, who top scored with 64 in the first innings, threw his wicket away by hitting leg spinner Totaram Bishun’s first delivery back into his hand for 12 (1×4).
Trevon Griffith was largely untroubled and on one occasion he used his feet to Bishun and dispatched him out of the ground for six to complement his three fours. When the game was called off Permaul’s XI had reached 48-1 from seven overs; Griffith was unbeaten on 23 and Jacobs on 6.
Bishun ended with 1-8 from his two overs.
