BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Veteran former West Indies left-hander, Shiv Chanderpaul, carved out a phenomenal 77th first class hundred and passed 27 000 runs career runs as he rescued Guyana Jaguars and forced a draw on the final day of their Regional four-day contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes here yesterday.
Starting the day on 53 for two – still requiring 153 runs to avoid an innings defeat – Jaguars found a hero in the 43-year-old Chanderpaul who hit a stellar 109 as the visitors rallied to 305 for seven deep into the final session, to frustrate the hosts.
Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble chimed in with an unbeaten 57, captain Leon Johnson got 41 and fellow left-hander Vishaul Singh, 35.
Off-spinner Terrance Ward (2-43) and leg-spinner Nkrumah Bonner (2-52) both finished with two wickets apiece but Hurricanes failed to conjure up that incisive spell to hurt Jaguars.
There was reason for Hurricanes to hope when they removed both overnight batsmen Veerasammy Permaul (8) and Johnson without much addition to the score.
Permaul was lbw in the morning’s sixth over to one from seamer Jeremiah Louis which kept low and Johnson, 27 not out at the start, fell with the score on 79 when he edged a cut at Bonner to Rahkeem Cornwall at slip.
The enduring Chanderpaul then arrived to anchor two stands which erased any lingering doubt over the result. Firstly, he added 63 for the fifth wicket with Singh before putting on 125 for the sixth wicket with Bramble.
Chanderpaul, in his first match of the season, faced 144 balls in just over 2-3/4 hours and stroked 11 fours and two sixes. He passed 27 000 first class runs when he reached 70 and completed three figures off a mere 132 deliveries.
Singh was finally lbw to off-spinner Cornwall after spending two hours at the crease and hitting two fours while Bramble crunched four fours and three sixes in a positive 92-ball knock.
Chanderpaul and Keemo Paul (0) fell in the space of 11 balls to leave Jaguars 275 for seven but Bramble and Sherfane Rutherford (22 not out) put on a further 30 in an unbroken eighth wicket stand, to make the game safe.