Fri | Mar 29, 2024

Permaul shines as Jaguars take control

Published:Friday | February 28, 2020 | 12:26 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul bagged seven wickets yesterday for the Guyana Jaguars to extract the sting out of the Jamaica Scorpions on the opening day of their sixth-round West Indies Championship match at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.

The pint-sized spinner ended with figures of seven for 59 from 30.4 overs, as the Jamaicans struggled to negotiate the Guyanese spinners after being asked to take the first strike and were dismissed for 216.

Jermaine Blackwood was once again the only bright spark for the home side, as the right-hander top-scored with a valiant 59 from 132 balls.

The day began with the hosts getting off to a decent start with the opening pair of John Campbell and Alwyn Williams putting on 40 runs for the first wicket.

The introduction of left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer did the trick for captain Leon Johnson, as Campbell was controversially given out caught behind for 20.

Permaul then began his demolition duties, as he bowled both Williams and Paul Palmer Jr. for 12 and 4 respectively, to leave the home side reeling at 60 for 3.

Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner began the recovery mission and the pair added 58 runs for the fourth wicket before Permaul had Bonner lbw for 15.

Blackwood and Denis Smith then shared in another useful 38 run partnership, but when Blackwood played around one from Permaul to be lbw for 59, the Scorpions innings went into decline.

Smith fought his way to 23 from 82 balls, but when he was the eight-wicket to fall with the score on 197, the Scorpions innings quickly folded with Permaul having Nicholson Gordon caught at slip for 18.

Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair picked up two wickets for two runs.

The Guyanese openers safely negotiated two overs late in the day without a loss a wicket.