Regional Super50...Jaguars aim for another win today

Regional Super50…Jaguars aim for another win today

Jan 30, 2017 Sports

Battle ICC Americas in first day match

By Sean Devers in Barbados
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The Guyana Jaguars victory over CCC Marooners on Saturday night in the Regional Super50 tournament could be injection the sleeping Jaguars needed to wake them up and provide momentum for them to continue winning as they seek a place in the next month’s semi-finals in Antigua.
The win, their first in three matches after losing to Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions, got them moving with five points and today at the Windward ground in Lucas Street they are confident of winning number two against an ICC Americas’ side that remains the only team in zone ‘B’ without a victory in a game scheduled to commence at 09:00hrs.
Needing to get 130 in less than 40 overs, the Jaguars lost Assad Fudadin in the third over at 8-1 after he had clipped Rovman Powell for back to back boundaries. The South American Franchise took no chances in pursuit of a bonus point and promoted Raymon Reifer who has represented both Barbados and CCC to number three.
The plan worked to perfection as the best all rounder in the Jaguars unit, a title formerly held by IPL and West Indies player Chris Barnwell, belted nine four and a six in a run-a-ball 67 and added 117 with Rajendra Chandrika who overcame a shaky start to be unbeaten on 44 in the eight wicket win.
Test leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo struggled badly in the first two matches but produced his best performance against CCC. Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul had three wickets, Ronsford Beaton two, while off-spinner Steven Jacobs continued to impress with his third frugal spell in three games.
Guyana has never played against ICC Americas before and Johnson, a West Indies Test player, disclosed that his team is confident of another victory today.
The Jaguars have tried two different opening pairs in three matches and are yet to get a solid opening partnership but could go again with Fudadin and Chandrika today.
Shiv Chanderpaul joined Kraigg Braithwaite and Kieron Powell as the batsmen with centuries in this year’s tournament and need 32 runs to pass Floyd Reifer as the leading scorer in Regional 50-over cricket and two more centuries to join Brian Lara (4) as the leading centurion in the this tournament which began in 1976.
Barnwell should have another chance to impress with the bat, while Anthony Bramble, Jacobs, Bishoo and Permaul provide Guyana with a potent batting line-up, at least on paper.
The outfield at the Windward ground is big and fast while the pitch is to be good for batting and Johnson, who has lost the toss in every game, would hope that changes today.
The ICC Americas have two Guyanese in their squad in Berbician Alex Amsterdam and Akeem Dodson who played for city side Malteenoes. They will depend on 22-year-old left-handed opener Kamau Leverock, nephew of Bermuda left arm spinner Dwayne Leverock and Keeper Srimantha Wijeratne, the 27-year old Colombian, to give ICC Americas a firm foundation at the top for Canadian Nitish Kumar, Amsterdam and Dodson to build on.
The 22-year-old Nikhil Dutta, the Kuwait born Canadian played for the Patriots in the CLP and has one ODI to his name while Nicholas Standford will be on home soil.
A lot is expected from Jamaican Timroy Allen, Pakistan born Canadian left-arm spinner Saad Bin Zafar, Pakistan born USA leg spinner Timil Patel and 23-year American pacer Jasdeep Singh to get the wickets.