Shane Shillingford’s 31st five-wicket haul helped send the Guyana Jaguars Crashing to 95 all out in their second innings leaving the Windwards Volcanoes heading into today’s final day needing 230 runs for victory in round one of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-Day competition.
Irresponsible shots by the Guyana batsmen at the Providence National Stadium, especially the top-order players, allowed Guyana Jaguars to slip from a commanding position after two days to hand the visitors the advantage heading into today’s final day.
Shiv Chanderpaul, who scored 34 in the first innings score made the same score while Vishaul Singh chipped in with 24.
Shillingford, the dropped West Indies Test spinner, continued to torment the Guyanese batsmen with his guile picking up 5-36 from 14.1 overs adding to his first innings haul of 6-107 as he ended his first match with 11-143, his ninth 10-wicket haul at this level. Support from fast-bowlers Kenroy Peters (2-13), Mervin Matthew (1-11) and Barbadian Kyle Mayers (2-20) were exceptional with their lengths, utilizing a third day wicket to their liking.
Jacobs was wily and effective picking up 4-56 with his off-spin while assistance from debutant Gudakesh Motie (2-66), Ronsford Beaton (2-56) and Chris Barnwell (1-32) helped restrict the Volcanoes to 228 for 9 in 89.4 overs in their first innings for a lead of 134. The 34-year-old Devon Smith scored 52, his 47th First Class fifty but only Tyrone Theophile (46), Keddy Lesporis (38) and Dalton Polius (31) were able to make starts.
Guyana lost their last six wickets for 61 runs, but it all began when Mayers removed Assad Fudadin for duck after Polius who held onto a
good catch at mid-on and Matthew again caught first innings century maker Rajendra Chandrika (05), trapping him leg before wicket as he did in the first innings. Things continued to go wrong for the Jags when Leon Johnson became Mayers’ second wicket caught behind by glove-man Sunil Ambris for two.
The champs found themselves 7-3 with left-handers Chanderpaul and Singh in the middle, the ideal pair of batters needed for such a dire repair job. At tea Singh was on seven and Chanderpaul was looking very ominous on 16. When play resumed, things were going well for Guyana but then the Volcanoes decided to spew some lava when they picked up a few quick, big wickets.
Chanderpaul was out LBW to Shillingford, Raymon Reifer (00) faced two balls before he was swallowed by Smith at first slip and Barnwell (02) drove Peters into the hands of Matthew at mid-off. The West Indies Test seamer then found of the edge of Anthony Bramble’s bat and he was easily caught behind by Ambris.
Singh also lost his concentration and paid the price with his wicket after looking extremely comfortable against Shillingford who claimed his scalp. As stumps neared, Beaton hit a delivery from Shillingford down the throat of Polius, soaking up 16 deliveries for a duck.
Earlier, Smith and Lesporis picked up from where they left off on day two as they still faced a daunting deficit despite being in a relatively comfortable position of 127-2. Smith continued to apply his experience and class against the Guyanese bowlers, reaching another career fifty but succumbed to his weakness, off-spin, as he edged Steven Jacobs to wicket-keeper Bramble.
Motie bagged his first two wickets at this level when both Lesporis and opposition wicket-keeper Ambris (09) were caught by Singh and Johnson, respectively. Polius and Sebastien did some repairs to the Middle/lower-order but Beaton rushed the former who got a top edge which was kindly accepted by the bowler, leaving the score 211 for 6.
Sebastein was forced to retire hurt when Beaton found his straps during his spell before lunch and accidentally struck the Volcanoes skipper on the helmet. He was declared okay and was told to rest.
Mayers was bowled for a seven-ball duck the final ball before lunch by Jacobs leaving the score 212-7 with Shillingford and Matthew (06) as the two batters to resume after lunch.
After the lunch break, the Jags mopped up the visitors as Bramble took two good catches off Beaton and Jacobs to remove Matthew (06) and Peters (00). Sebastein was unable to bat after being hit earlier, bringing the innings to an end.
