PCL Four-Day cricket practice…..Singh’s 123 put Johnson’s X1 in control

A responsible 123 by Vishaul Singh put Leon Johnson’s X1 in control against Shimron Hetymer’s X1 at the end of the second day of their PCL four-day practice match at Bourda yesterday.

Singh scored a matured 123 from 234 balls from 338 minutes with 11 fours and added 105 runs for the sixth wicket with Chris Barnwell (43) to spur Johnson’s X1 to 344 from their overnight score of 238-5.

Pacers Raun Johnson (3-29 from 18 overs) and Keon Joseph (2-60 from 20 overs) bowled with genuine pace on the flat track for Hetymer’s X1, who led with a Captain’s knock of 53 from the West Indies U-19 opener and a shot-filled unbeaten 41 from Kevon Boodie, reached 140 by the close, still 204 behind Johnson’s X1 score. Off-spinner Steven Jacobs has so far taken 3-36.

On a day blessed with glorious sunshine the left handed Singh and right-hander Barnwell joined forces on Monday with their team on 198-5 and batted confidently as their partnership flourished on the fast outfield.

Barnwell stroked leg spinner Steven Sankar for four and edged the impressive Joseph over slip for four more before he was caught behind off the lively Johnson at 303-6.

Anthony Bramble (6) whipped Barbadian fast bowler Jevon Searles past square leg for four but then played no shot at the towering Johnson and was trapped in front by the Berbice pacer who then controversially removed Jacobs for a duck as two wickets tumbled at 313.

Jacobs edged one that left him but the ball fell just in front of Kemo Paul at second slip before Hetymer, at first slip took the rebound and Jacobs was given out as Johnson’s X1 slipped to 313-8.

Singh, who reached his century with consecutive boundaries off left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie from 195 balls, 280 minutes with nine fours, played with wonderful temperament and his bat appeared as wide as the sightscreen.

After Permaul was LBW for a duck to Joseph at 322-9, Singh who continued to strike the ball with immaculate timing, added 18 runs for the last with wicket with Beaton who scored 15. Beaton fended at a wicked bouncer from Joseph, who bent his back on the straw colored track and ball crashed into his glove in front of his helmet.

But Joseph was smashed disdainfully back past his ankles when he attempted a yorker and pulled brutally past mid-on next ball.
But hard working Joseph ended the innings when he had the defiant Singh taken at Slip in an eventful over.

When Hetymer’s X1 began their reply the Skipper played in positive fashion and slapped Beaton for four before edging him dangerously over the slips for another boundary.

The 18-year-old left-hander from Berbice pulled Reifer like a bullet past mid-wicket as Kandasammy Surujnarine was the silent partner. The pugnacious Hetymer slashed hard at Reifer and fortune favored the brave as the ball flew of the edge to the third man boundary.

Surujnarine, who never suggested permanence, seemed uncomfortable against the short pitched balls from Beaton and Reifer. Surujnarine (6) was removed by Reifer for six at 31-1 and by Tea it was 39-1 with Hetymer on 28.

After the break Hetymer and Tevin Imlach played with confidence and fluency as they took the score to 72. Hetymer pulled Barnwell for four, hammered Jacobs through cover for another four and swept Veerasammy Permaul for his ninth boundary to race to 50 from 66 balls. But when well set for a big score Hetymer fell to Permaul two balls later.

Robin Bacchus (1) was LBW to Jacobs at 83-3 before Imlach, who dumped Jacobs over mid-on for four, was well caught one-handed at short mid-wicket by a leaping Shiv Chanderpaul, who looked fitter than many of the younger players. Imlach’s 26 included three fours.
Jacobs struck again when Paul (0) was LBW, while Dexter Solomon (2) was bowled Anthony Adams at 106-6.

Boodie played some audacious shots and hit five fours off Permaul and Jacobs in his undefeated 41. Today’s play started at 09:00hrs.

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