Four-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars defied half-centuries from former WINDIES Under-19 star, Alick Athanaze and opener Tarryck Gabriel to open the West Indies Championship season with a comfortable 125-run victory over Windward Islands Volcanoes on Sunday. At the same time, Terrance Warde and WINDIES fast bowler Alzarri Joseph shared seven wickets to bowl Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an unlikely, 34-run victory over Barbados Pride at the Three Ws Oval.
Jaguars vs Volcanoes
Athanaze hit the top score of 64 that included five fours and two sixes from 138 balls, and Gabriel hit seven fours in 57 from 124 balls.
But their bid for Volcanoes’ survival was not enough, as Permaul snared 3-56 from 23 overs to lead the Jaguars’ attack and three other bowlers ended with two wickets apiece.
Starting the day on 54 for two, the Volcanoes got some early stability, as Kavem Hodge and Gabriel completed a 54-run, third-wicket stand.
The dismissal of Hodge – caught at mid-off off Permaul for 32 – triggered a shaky period for the Volcanoes, as they lost three wickets and slipped from 88 for two to 114 for five.
A sixth-wicket stand of 88 either side of lunch between Athanaze and Denis Smith frustrated the Jaguars for over an hour and took the Volcanoes past the 200-run mark.
Smith was caught at cover off Christopher Barnwell for 38 and the home team lost their way and the last five wickets for 20 in the space of 55 balls.
Clinton Pestano was named Player-of-the-Match for his all-round showing in the match.
Scores in brief: Jaguars (224 & 310-4 dec) beat Volcanoes (187 & 222) by 125 runs in Gros-Islet, St. Lucia
Hurricanes vs Pride
Warde grabbed 4-33 from 15.5 overs to lead the demolition of the Pride batting, Joseph supported with 3-16 from 13 overs and leg-spinner Damion Jacobs added 2-37 from 10 overs, as the home team were bowled out inside the final half-hour before tea.
The result was formalised, when former WINDIES Under-19 World Cup-winning star Chemar Holder mistimed a lofted drive at a delivery from Warde and was caught at mid-off for a first-ball duck.
Chasing 170 for victory and resuming from their overnight total of 13 for one, the hosts stumbled to 82 for four at lunch, and suffered a huge setback in the first over after the interval, when their captain Sharmarh Brooks was one of six batsmen that was bowled in the innings.
Brooks led the way with 32, wicketkeeper/batsman Tevyn Walcott made 30 and Jonathan Carter got 24, but there was little stability from the rest of the Pride batting and they suffered their second straight defeat to the Hurricanes on home soil in this format.
Hurricanes opener Keacy Carty, the former WINDIES Under-19 World Cup-winning star, was named Player-of-the-Match for his first innings hundred.
Scores in brief: Hurricanes (252 & 165) beat Pride (248 & 135) by 34 runs in Cave Hill, Barbados
DHAKA, Bangladesh- The WINDIES lost by 5 wickets in the first One Day International against Bangladesh at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. WINDIES posted 195/9 in 50 overs, Bangladesh reached 196/5 in 35.1 overs.
The WINDIES won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch that looked like it wouldn’t offer much for batting second. Kieran Powell and Shai Hope opened the batting for the men in maroon, but once again they couldn’t get a solid foundation going. Powell was the first to go when Shakib Al Hasan had him caught for 10. Hope was joined by Darren Bravo and the pair had a very slow rebuild to the innings.
The pair dealt in singles and two’s while keeping the total ticking over. However, on 19 Bravo going long was spectacularly caught by a diving Tamim Iqbal. WINDIES 65/2 after 20.4 overs. Hope didn’t last too long after as he was dismissed by Masharafe Mortaza for a hard fought 43. In-form batsman Shimron Hetmyer never got going, backing away in an attempt to cut the ball, he was bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 6. Interim Captain Rovman Powell came to the crease to partner with Marlon Samuels. The pair took the WINDIES past 100 but Powell’s cameo at the crease ended on 14 when his opposite number had him caught by Liton Das.
Marlon Samuels continued his slow and patient innings, knocking the ball around, he picked up two fours in the process of reaching 25 before Rubel Hossain had him caught by a backward-running Liton Das. WINDIES 127/6 in 39.2 overs. Roston Chase and Keemo Paul provided the most explosive and highest partnership of the WINDIES innings taking the team to defendable total. Paul struck 2-sixes, while Chase had one of his own as they combined for 51-runs together before Mustafizur Rahman removed both batsmen across 2 overs.
Kemar Roach remained on 5 not out and with him Oshane Thomas on 0 not out. WINDIES 195/9 in their 50 overs. Masharafe Mortaza finished with 3/30 while Mustafizur Rahman had 3/35.
196 required for victory, Bangladesh went after the small total fearlessly. Tamim Iqbal Liton Das opened the batting for the home team. Roston Chase, holding consistent line and length in his deliveries was rewarded with the first wicket, when he had Tamim caught by Bishoo for 12. Oshane Thomas the gentle giant, reminiscent of WINDIES pacers of the glory days, steamed in a scattered the stumps of Imrul Kayes for 4. Bangladesh 42/2 in 8.4 overs.
Just when Liton Das looked set to bring up another half-century and take his team home with Mushfiqur, Keemo Paul lit his stumps up, sending him back to the dugout for 41. Mushfiqur and Shakib Al Hasan posted a 57-run partnership that saw some lofty blows from Shakib. He struck 4-fours on the way to 30 off 26 balls, but Rovman Powell introduced himself into the attack and struck the first delivery, he had Shakib caught behind of a slim edge.
Roston Chase returned in the dying stages of the match to pick up with the wicket of Soumya Sarkar for 19. Mushfiqur reached another half-century, together with 14 from Mahmudullah, the pair saw their team home to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match ODI series.
Both teams will meet again on Tuesday, December 11 in the second ODI at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
Jaguars vs Volcanoes It will be an intriguing day of play today in the Cricket West Indies Regional 4-Day tournament being played at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia. The Guyana Jaguars require eight wickets to complete victory in the first round of this tournament, while the Volcanoes batters will face the uphill task of achieving 294 runs with eight wickets in hand.After an ordinary first innings outing for the Jaguars batsmen, they were up to the task the second time around, scoring 310-4 declared. They ended day two on 115-3 with night watchman Clinton Pestano and opening batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul carrying the mantle. The Berbician Pestano in particular was admirable in his stroke play, being selective although aggressive in his batting, hitting five sixes and two boundaries in his career best 69 from 127 balls; in contrast with Chanderpaul’s defensive batting, which was rock solid.Chanderpaul and Pestano added 111 runs together, with the latter being dismissed in the 80th over by the lively left arm fast bowler Deleon Johnson when the score was 225-4. Christopher Barnwell partnered Tagenarine Chanderpaul and continued the scoring for the Jaguars.
The Guyana Jaguars have ended day two’s final session of play on 115-3, enjoying a lead of 152 at stumps. Leon Johnson top-scored with 51, while Tagenarine Chanderpaul was left unbeaten on 29.Clinton Pestano had earlier set the tone for the Jaguars by picking up two wickets in the opening over of the day, to finish with four wickets, while Permaul captured three wickets.The Volcanoes were bowled out for 187 in 59.1 overs, with Delron Johnson and Alick Athanze scoring 34 runs each.After a see-saw opening day at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia, the Guyana Jaguars took firm control early in the second day’s play, which commenced with the fiery Pestano continuing where he had left off on day one. In the first over of the day, Pestano removed Taryck Gabriel (07) and Roland Cato in the space of one run, the pink ball zipping through to Jaguars wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble as the fast bowlers continued to prosper.
Bridgetown, Barbados, December 7 - (www.bcacricket.org) - Barbados Pride, starting the day on 12 without loss off ten overs, were 197 for six off 100 overs in reply to a first innings total of 252 all out in 72.2 overs by Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the close of play on the second day of Round 1 in the Cricket West Indies first-class Day/Night match at 3Ws Oval today.
The not out batsmen were Tevyn Walcott on nine and Hayden Walsh Jr, seven.
The Sher-e-Bangla Stadium will host its ninth One-Day International of the year when Bangladesh hosts Windies for the first of two ODIs at the venue. The pitch in Dhaka has been rather unpredictable with first innings scores ranging from 82 to 320 spanning the eight ODIs hosted there since January of this year; the 300 mark being surpassed only once with the team batting first coming out triumphant on five of those occasions. The visitors will have their work cut out for them as unlike the flat tracks offered up in India, the Bangladesh pitches are expected to turn.
Back home, the build up to the series has been dominated by news that the Jamaican Rovman Powell will stand in for the injured Jason Holder as captain. The appointment of Powell as interim captain adds to the long list of bemusing decisions (at face value) which has led to the lack of trust between Caribbean fans and the West Indies selectors in recent times. The news of Powell as captain almost overshadowed the fact that Darren Bravo has now “snuck” back into two of three formats with his inclusion in the 15-man squad. Whether his involvement is the correct decision, what has changed (in the eyes of the selectors) since he was unable to make the squad to India? Either the need for his services just dawned upon Browne and company, or the selection panel has bowed to public pressure—both of which are unbecoming of the leaders of the region’s game.
With the omission of Obed McCoy and the injured Ashley Nurse the squad reads: Rovman Powell (Capt), Marlon Samuels, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope (wk), Carlos Brathwaite, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Sunil Ambris, Oshane Thomas.
Along with the squad list came this statement from Windies Chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne: “With two more ODI Series before the 2019 World Cup, the Bangladesh series allows us to narrow our search for our final 15-member World Cup squad”. Which begs the question -what more could young McCoy have done in the two opportunities given to at least retain his place in the squad. Or maybe, we should be expecting a trend and with the return of Holder and Nurse, we’ll then be sending Fabian Allen and Keemo Paul on their merry way next.
The visitors will have a feat on their hands in fitting four number three batsmen into their playing XI; as Hope and Hetmyer should retain their places based on their recent roles in India and surely veteran Samuels won’t be asked to make way for the returning DM Bravo. Putting all the controversy and perceived bad decisions (leading up to this series) aside, there is still the hope that Powell will lead his charges well, give Bangladesh a run for their money in tough conditions and avenge the disappointment of the Test series.
Predicted XI: Hemraj, SD Hope (wk), DM Bravo, Samuels, Chase, Hetmyer, R Powell (c), Allen, Bishoo, Roach, O Thomas.
0 comments
