A T&T player born in Guyana and another on debut avoided an embarrassing day for the T&T Red Force against the Guyana Jaguars on the opening day of the fourth round of the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Four-Day Cricket League at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.
A brilliant ninth wicket partnership of 108 runs between Guyanese born Marlon Richards and debutant Uthman Muhammad frustrated the Guyana bowlers. The right handed pair, more known for their fast bowling exploits, guided the Red Force to 210 all out in the first innings, a score that never looked possible. Richards slammed his maiden first class half century, scoring 53 off 116 balls which included three fours. Muhammad was more aggressive, cracking six fours and two sixes in his knock of 53 off 82 deliveries.
Guyana in reply closed on 9/0 before bad light ended play. Shimron Hetmyre was seven not out, while Assad Fudadin was unbeaten on two.
Richards and Muhammed joined each other with T&T reeling on 102/8 in the second session, after medium pacer Christopher Barnwell ran through the T&T batting. At this stage, Barnwell had figures of 10 overs, two maidens, 27 runs and five wickets.
Richards and Muhammad avoided any further damage guiding T&T to 117/8 at the tea break.
The pair came to the middle with a different mindset after tea, taking the attack to the Jaguars bowlers.
The right-handers punished the spin duo of Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie as the pair grew in confidence. Muhammad struck Permaul for two fours in quick succession, while Richards got into the action when he slammed a four over Motie’s head.
After T&T got to 150 and the pair brought up the 50-run partnership, Muhammad raced into the forties after some big shots, which included a six over mid-wicket of Permaul.
Richards also had his moments, but was happy to play the supporting role as the debutant Muhammad seemed ready for the big stage.
After fast bowler Ronsford Beaton came back into the attack, Richards tried to cut at one and was lucky to survive, as the ball flew between the wicketkeeper and first slip with both fielders rooted to the ground.
Muhammad brought up the 200 for T&T with a pull shot for four as Guyana captain Leon Johnson introduced many bowlers hoping for the breakthrough.
Muhammad then celebrated his maiden first class fifty, punching the air while completing the precious single. Another single then brought up the 100-run partnership, while a misfield at point allowed Richards to get two runs to bring up his maiden first class fifty.
After testing Richards and Muhammad with some bouncers, Beaton finally got the breakthrough as Richards was caught in the covers ending the 108-run partnership.
The innings came to a close when Muhammad was caught at long on by Vishaul Singh of Permaul’s bowling. Barnwell finished with 5/32 and Permaul snatched 3/59 for Guyana.
Earlier, the return of experienced batsman Jason Mohammed could not ignite the Red Force top order. Before Muhammad and Richards joined forces, Mohammed was the only batsman to offer resistance with a score of 33.
SCOREBOARD
T&T Red Force vs Guyana Jaguars
1st day, 4th round
RED FORCE 1st Innings
J Solozano c wkp Bramble b Reifer 10
K Hope lbw b Barnwell 11
Y Carriah c Hetmyer b Barnwell 6
N Deonarine c Johnson b Barnwell 9
J Mohammed c Johnson b Permaul 33
Y Ottley b Barnwell 8
S Katwaroo lbw b Permaul 8
Imran Khan c Permaul b Barnwell 10
M Richards c Barnwell b Beaton 53
Uthman Muhammad c Motie b Permaul 53
K Kantasingh not out 0
Extras (b4, lb1, w1, nb3) 9
TOTAL (all out, 74.2 overs) 210
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-27, 3-29, 4-48, 5-64, 6-88, 7-89, 8-102, 9-210, 10-201.
Bowling: Beaton 17-4-39-1 (nb3), Reifer 14-5-31-1, Permaul 19.2-4-59-3, Barnwell 12-4-32-5 (w1), Motie 9-1-29-0, Johnson 3-0-11-0.
JAGUARS 1st Innings
A Fudadin not out 2
S Hetmyer not out 7
TOTAL (without loss, 8 overs) 9
To bat: L Johnson, Vishaul Singh, R Reifer, S Chanderpaul, A Bramble, C Barnwell, V Permaul, G Motie, R Beaton.
Bowling: Richards 2-2-0-0, Muhammad 2-0-6-0, Mohammed 2-1-1-0, Deonarine 2-1-2-0.
Position: Jaguars trail Red Force by 201 runs with all their first innings wickets intact.
Toss: Red Force.
Umpires: Joel Wilson, Patrick Gustard.
OTHER SCORES:
Barbados Pride 233-4 vs
Windward Islands Volcanoes
Scores:
PRIDE 233 for four (Kyle Corbin 68, Shamarh Brooks 51, Kemar Brathwaite 46, Roston Chase 27) vs VOLCANOES
