Veerasammy Permaul’s highest first-class score of 90, alongside Kevin Sinclair’s 72 and Isai Thorne’s two-wicket blitz, propelled the Guyana Harpy Eagles into control against the Barbados Pride yesterday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua and Barbuda.
After putting the Barbados Pride bowlers to hard work on the opening day, day two produced much more of the same after Permaul’s unbeaten half-century and Sinclair’s vital knock as they ended on 436 all out.
Then, in the last session of yesterday’s play, West Indies U-19 pacer Thorne struck twice while Pride skipper Kraig Brathwaite was run out cheaply, leaving the Bajans in strife at 59/3 by stumps after 19 overs.
Earlier in the morning, Sinclair resumed his innings and was fluent in his shots and decision-making but quickly lost Ronaldo Alimohamed (1). That brought Permaul to the crease, and together the pair from Berbice took Guyana from 232/6 to 335 before Sinclair lobbed a return catch to Jomel Warrican. They shared a 103-run partnership, while Sinclair’s 72 spanned 94 deliveries and included nine fours.
Gudakesh Motie joined Permaul, and the Berbicians, better known for their exploits with the ball, proceeded to share an enterprising 8th wicket partnership filled with shots.
Motie clobbered two fours and three sixes in his entertaining 37 (69 balls) before he was caught. Permaul was left stranded on 90 as Isai Thorne (8) and Nial Smith surrendered their wickets, with the Harpy Eagles bowling out for a mammoth 436.
Permaul’s unbeaten 90 took up 151 balls and saw him smash 10 fours and three sixes.
Bowling for the Barbados Pride, the figures did not make for pretty reading, as Kemar Roach, Jason Holder, and Warrican had two wickets each.
In reply, the Barbadians were rattled early, with Thorne striking twice in the fourth over. First he had Zachary McCaskie caught behind trying to fend off a short ball down the legside to leave them 22/1 before having Shian Brathwaite caught at third man two balls later for a duck after a delivery flew off the shoulder of Brathwaite’s bat. Thorne’s pace was impressive, and he continued to trouble the Pride batters.
Skipper Kraig Brathwaite was then run out from a direct hit on 14 by substitute Raymond Perez after attempting a quick single to leave Barbados 49/3. By stumps, Jonathan Drakes (20 not out) and Raymon Reifer (1 not out) had navigated to 59/3 without further loss but will need a further 228 runs to avoid the follow-on today. Thorne’s figures were 2/19 (6 overs).
Meanwhile, at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago, the Windward Islands Volcanoes trail the hosts, the Red Force, by 35 runs with eight wickets remaining in the second innings. The volcanoes are perched on 68/2. Jeremy Solozano remains unbeaten at 30.
Red Force, in reply to the Volcanoes first-inning score of 191, scored 294. Tion Webster tallied an unbeaten 107, while Jason Mohammed, Vikash Mohan, and Kjorn Ottley scored 56, 52, and 47 runs, respectively. Kenneth Dember was the pick of the bowlers with 5-63, while Shamar Springer tallied 3-76.
At Sabina Park in Jamaica, the home side, the Scorpions, lead the CWI Academy by two runs with three wickets remaining in the first inning. Jamaica ended day two at 326/7. Brandon King scored the most with 77, while Leroy Lugg was the next best scorer with 64. Peat Salmon sits unbeaten on 60, while Carlos Brown and Kirk McKenzie added 33 and 29 runs apiece.
For the bowlers, Joshua Bishop and Kadeem Alleyne recorded figures of 3-85 and 2-29, respectively, for CWI Academy, who were dismissed for 324 in their first inning.
Continuing in Trinidad and Tobago, the Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners lead the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 90 runs with seven wickets remaining in the second innings.
The Marooners, who recorded a first-inning score of 273, sit at 76/3, with Sadique Henry unbeaten at 32 after dismissing the Hurricanes for 259. Kieran Powell top-scored for the Hurricanes with 114, while Jeremiah Louis, Justin Greaves, Rahkeem Cornwall, and Jahmar Hamilton contributed 31, 29, 22, and 21 runs, respectively.
Romario Greaves was the primary threat for the Marooners, as he ended with figures of 5-63, while Zishan Motara and Jediah Blades recorded 2-14 and 2-50, respectively.
