The Leeward Hurricanes’ effort to win a game that they controlled for most of their CWI Digicel Regional four-day match against the Guyana Jaguars were thwarted on the final by an entertaining century from the experienced Shiv ‘Tiger’ Chanderpaul as their third round encounter ended in a draw at Warner Park Sunday 12th November, 2017 despite a Man-of-the-Match performance by rookie off-spinner Terrence Warde.

The Hurricanes huffed and puffed but could not blow the Jaguars away as the 43-year Chanderpaul built a strong Hurricane shelter to bat the Jaguars to safety by the time play was called off at the start of the final hour with Jaguars, following-on, 305-7, a lead of 99 runs.
The Tiger reached the boundary 10 times and cleared it twice in his 153-ball and 173-minute 109, his 77th First-Class century and 20th at Regional level. Chanderpaul was built for crises situations and yesterday when he arrived at the crease with his team on 79-4 needing 206 to avoid an innings defeat a crises was brewing.

Skipper Leon Johnson had just departed for 41 from 147 balls and 205 minutes and Chanderpaul shared in half-century partnerships with Vishaul Singh, who faced 93 balls, batted for 105 minutes and hit two for in 34 and Anthony Bramble whose unbeaten 57 lasted 87 balls and was decorated with four fours and three sixes.

Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with an undefeated 22 from 43 balls with four boundaries in his unfinished 30-run stand with Bramble to see their team to safety to keep the three-time defending Champions in the lead.

Off-spinning all-rounder Warde followed up his 4-47 in the first innings with 4-48 while Jeremiah Louis had 2-52 to take his tally to 18 while Skipper Rakeem Cornwall supported with 2-62.
Jaguars resumed on 53-2, still 151 runs from avoiding an innings defeat, and night watchman Veerasammy Permaul and Johnson batted for 25 minutes before Permaul was LBW to Louis for 9 at 60-3.

Johnson was well caught at slip by Cornwell off Warde at 80-4 after hitting six fours in his fighting innings to bring Chanderpaul and Singh together as Chanderpaul began with a positive mind set; stroking his first ball for four. He and Singh, who made an unbeaten 97 in the first innings, batted beautifully with Singh playing the supporting role. Under sunny skies and on a pitch which began to play with variable bounce and still good for batting, Chanderpaul, a veteran of 164 Tests, danced into Warde hitting him back over his head for six and also cover drove Louis gloriously for four as the partnership took shape.

Singh battled hard against disconcerting bounce from Cornwall and survived a raucous appeal for caught at short leg when he missed a sweep at Cornwall and was struck on his body.
The little left-handed West Indies ‘A’ team batsman played some lovely drives; when Cornwall bowled short he pulled him disdainfully for four to bring up 100 in the 62nd over.
Chanderpaul, only behind Devon Smith’s 25 Regional First-Class hundreds, used his feet to counter the spin and got easy runs by working the ball into the gaps on the on-side, by Lunch the Jaguars were 129-4 with both batsmen on 27.

After the interval Singh was LBW to Cornwall at 143-5 before Bramble, who fell for 90 in St Lucia and Chanderpaul who reached his 140th half-century at this level from 97 balls and 101 minutes, fashioned a match saving partnership. Back-to-back boundaries off Louis brought up Chanderpaul’s fifty and he celebrated by opening the face for a third boundary in the over while Bramble dumped Cornwall for a four and a six off consecutive balls.

Chanderpaul was especially severe on debut pacer Stanny Simon back cutting for consecutive fours, pulling him for two doubles before dabbing the rookie pacer for another boundary.
He eventually reached his ton from 138 balls, 160 minutes with 10 fours and two sixes while Bramble punished Cornwall by hitting the burly off-spinner for a straight four and a thunderous six before clobbering him for back-to-back sixes.

At Tea, the Jaguars were 261-5 with Bramble on 47 and Chanderpaul on 100 but just after the break Chanderpaul soon pulled Warde high to mid-wicket where Nkrumah Bonner took a running catch to leave Jaguars on 268-6 to break the partnership with Hurricanes still in the game.

When Kemo Paul was bowled by Warde for duck at 275-7, the handful of Hurricane fans were still hopeful but Bramble, who reached his eighth fifty from 67 and 109 minutes with four fours and three sixes was there at the end with Rutherford.

The Jaguars travel to Trinidad for the next game against the host in a day/night affair from Thursday.

 

 

(Source: www.kaieteurnewsonline.com)