One of Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s moniker is Mr. Dependable and the veteran batsman yesterday lived up to that nickname slamming an even century to help the Guyana Jaguars post a competitive 311 all out in their top-of-the-table clash against the Barbados Pride at the Providence National Stadium in round four of the West Indies Cricket Board’s regional four-day tournament.
The two teams have a rivalry that is as long as the history of West Indies cricket itself and which has continued in this tournament where the Guyana Jaguars on 33.6 points lead the Pride on 33.4 points and a win for either team will obviously boost that team’s chances of winning the tournament.
Yesterday’s game was the first day/night game between the two sides in this competition using the pink ball and Chanderpaul made the Bajan bowlers literally see `pink’ as he held the Guyana Jaguars innings together featuring in several useful partnerships.
Chanderpaul’s innings of 100 included 13 fours and he received support from West Indies U19 skipper Shimron Hetmeyer who made 60, Vishaul `Cheesy’ Singh with 40, Gudakesh Motie with an unbeaten 36 and Raymon Reifer with 35. Former West Indies speedster Kemar Roach was the pick of the Barbados’ bowlers with 3-47 despite having a no-ball problem early on. Jonathan Carter supported with 2-15, Kevin Stoute picked up 2-52, Chase ended with 2-74 and Jomel Warrican, 1-30.
At close, the Pride were nought without loss with both openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Anthony Alleyne yet to get off the mark.
Guyana Jaguars skipper Leon Johnson decided to have his team bat first after winning the toss and the openers Rajindra Chandrika and Hetmeyer took their first wicket stand past 40 before Chandrika was bowled by Roston Chase for 11.
Barbados pegged Guyana back by grabbing two more wickets before lunch with Johnson out lbw for four padding up and Hetmeyer pulling a short ball to backward point just before lunch in his aggressive knock which included a number of sixes.
Chanderpaul, however, was able to shore up the middle and lower order finding useful allies in Reifer and Motie before he eventually reached his century.
The new ball was taken with Guyana 295-8 and the innings quickly subsided.
