Since the Guyana Jaguars shock defeat to Barbados in 2014, falling three runs short of a meager 69 to win at Providence, they have played unbeaten since then in the Digicel WICB PCL Four-Day First- Class cricket.
Yesterday at Providence, the hosts crushed a stingless Jamaica Scorpions on a truncated day in which torrential rain, which stopped play for over three hours from 10:55 hrs.
Pounding rain fell at Providence for over three hours (Sean Devers photo)
Chasing a daunting 339 for an unlikely win, Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood fashioned almost match saving 203-ball innings decorated with 15 fours and two sixes which carried him to 96 in fading light with 2.4 overs left in the drama-filled contest.
Blackwood remained to the end before a wicked bouncer from Pacer Keon Joseph induced him to edge to the Keeper with last pair at the wicket as the Scorpions were dismantled for 147 as the Jaguars extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches.
Johnson’s brave gamble paid off with the Umpires having one eye on the light after Marquino Mindley (4) and Blackwood, eyeing his fifth century, were battling for survival taking their team from 133-9 in a frustrating last wicket stand.
Although Blackwood’s knock almost saw his team home nobody else reached 15 for the Scorpions as Veerasammy Permaul followed up his first innings 5-60 with 3-63. Fellow West Indies ‘A’ spinner Gudakesh Motie (4-55) and Joseph (3-18) bowled their team to a comprehensive win to join Red Force at the top of the table with 17 points.
GUYANA JAGUARS 298 (Shiv Chanderpaul 91, Rajendra Chandrika 86, Raymon Reifer 40; Nikita Miller 4-71, Derval Green 3-72) and 238 for four decl. (Vishaul Singh 71, Leon Johnson 69, Shimron Hetmyer 47; Jermaine Blackwood 2-12).
JAMAICA SCORPIONS 208 (John Campbell 71, Andre McCarthy 36; Veerasammy Permaul 5-60, Gudakesh Motie 4-61) and 147 (Jermaine Blackwood 96; Gudakesh Motie 4-35, Keon Joseph 3-18, Veerasammy Permaul 3-63).
(Taken from Kaieteur News)