With two breathtaking wins on the trot from their Group ‘A’ matches, semi-finalist Guyana Jaguars will now look forward to a clean sweep of their preliminary fixtures when they oppose the Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) team today before Thursday’s first semi-final of the 2015 Nagico Super50 tournament.
Barbadian all-rounder Raymon Reifer Saturday smoked an unbeaten 84 to help rescue the Jaguars from a perilous position during the chase of 168 from 36 overs in their rain-affected game against defending champions Barbados in the second Group A fixture as the local side roared their way to another consecutive semi-final in the Regional Super50 competition.
An under pressure Reifer finally came to the party, proving his selection as the only overseas draft for this year’s inaugural Professional Cricket league (PCL) franchise system.
Earlier, his former teammate and current West Indies Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite stroked 74 for the Pride in a losing cause.
Today’s match against the CCC will more than likely be used as an appetizer for their semis against either Jamaica or hosts Trinidad. Guyana will now seek to fine tune their batting which has been unpredictable thus far against the likes of Barbados and first match opponents Windwards Volcanoes who they trounced by 142 runs in a dramatic turn of events.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul continues to be the ace for the Jaguars and is second on the leading wicket-taker list with four wickets from two games while fellow spinners Steven Jacobs and Devendra Bishoo have been miserly and destructive when brought on.
The worry for the local side is definitely their premier opening bowler Ronsford Beaton and opening batsman Trevon Griffith who have both been ineffective in their respective departments and could warm the bench in today’s match or given one more chance to reach form before the semis.
Veteran batsman Shiv Chanderpaul has not been his usual self but remains a class act and the most important figure in the Guyana batting cog. Rajendra Chandrika, skipper Chris Barnwell, Vishaul Singh, Reifer and Anthony Bramble have all been among the runs in previous matches while Jacobs has not yet come out of the blocks with the bat and will use today’s encounter to find some batting form against his former team.
The Guyana camp will now have to decide on the positions of Griffith and and Beaton who seem to be under immense pressure given their talent.
Should they be m omitted for today’s match then Johnathan Foo and seamer Paul Wintz could have a game.
Over in the CCC camp, the combined team has yet to play a match after their first two encounters against Barbados and Windwards were washed out. However, with a talented line-up inclusive of Kyle Mayers, West Indies wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton, Shacaya Thomas, West Indies spinner Ryan Austin and Kyle Hope, they will consider themselves a good challenge for the undefeated Jaguars.
The match is expected to bowl off at 13:30hrs at the Queens Park Oval
