Honours even at Sabina Park

A penetrative spell of spin bowling from left-arm spinner Nikita Miller and gutsy batting from opener Assad Fudadin resulted in a mini-fightback by the Jamaica Scorpions on the second day of their CWI-Digicel Four-day Championship match-up against Guyana Jaguars at Sabina Park.

Miller, who recently returned from West Indies one-day duties in New Zealand, claimed four for 30 to help bowl out Guyana for 183 in their first innings.

Jamaica, who made 106 in their first time at the bat thereafter closed the day on 165 for seven, for an overall lead of 90 runs, with the Guyanese-born Fudadin ending not out on 61.

The Jaguars, who started the day on 75 for three, and hoping to post a big first innings score to try and make the game safe, were kept in check by Miller, fast bowling all-rounder Derval Green, and fast bowler Reynard Leveridge. Bowling at good pace, Leveridge started the fightback when he dismissed overnight batsman West Indies representative Vishaul Singh for 19 to leave the score at 102 for four.

The dismissal broke a growing 39-run partnership between Singh and veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul and exposed the Jaguars' middle to lower-order batting to the wily Miller and Green.

Green, the Scorpions second most successful bowler this season, finished with three for 39.

Leveridge took two for 42, while Chanderpaul, who continues to show his worth, topscored with 50. Opener Chanderpaul Hemraj, who made 47 on the first day, was the next best batsman.

Jamaica, in their second time at the bat, and facing a 77-run deficit, went about erasing it in outstanding fashion, with Fudadin and John Campbell putting on 112 for the first wicket.Campbell, in hitting nine fours off 68 deliveries, made 62 for his 13th first-class 50 before he was dismissed caught off young left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.

 

Little resistance

 

However, apart from Campbell and Fudadin, no other Scorpions batsmen were able to stamp their authority.

Out-of-form West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood, who made 24 in the first innings, lasted 23 balls before he was run out for nine, while Brandon King, who scored 13 off 37 balls first time at the bat, was bowled for zero by Motie.

The team's two other in-form batsmen, Fabian Allen and Paul Palmer, could only manage four and 10, respectively.

Motie has so far taken two for 21 off 11 overs and the tournament's leading wicket taker, Veerasammy Permaul, one for 45 off 18.

SCOREBOARD

SCORPIONS 1st Innings 106

JAGUARS 1st Innings

(overnight 75 for three)

C. Hemraj c Green b Miller 47

S. Chanderpaul lbw b Miller 50

+A. Bramble c Miller b Green 10

R. Reifer lbw b Green 0

K. Paul c Blackwood b Miller 1

V. Permaul b Jacobs 7

G. Motie c Leveridge b Miller 13

K. Joseph not out 0

Extras (b10, lb11, w1, nb1) 23

Total (all out, 59.5 overs) 183

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-57, 3-63, 4-102, 5-122, 6-122, 7-123, 8-139, 9-180, 10-183.

Bowling: Green 14-3-39-3, Leveridge 12-1-42-2, Blackwood 2-0-8-0, Miller 14.5-3-30-4, Campbell 7-1-10-0, Jacobs 10-1-33-1.

SCORPIONS 2nd Innings

J. Campbell c Paul b Motie 62

A. Fudadin not out 61

J. Blackwood run out 9

B. King b Motie 0

P. Palmer run out 10

F. Allen b Permaul 4

A. Thomas not out 9

Extras (b1, lb4, nb7) 12

Total (5 wkts, 50 overs) 167

Fall of wickets: 1-112, 2-127, 3-133, 4-149, 5-153.

Bowling: Paul 10-1-31-0, Joseph 3-0-27-0, Reifer 6-1-22-0, Johnson 2-0-16-0, Permaul 18-3-45-1, Motie 11-4-21-2.

Position: Scorpions lead by 90 runs.

Toss: Jaguars.

Umpires: J. Williams, J. Blades.