WICB Four-Day Franchise Cricket…Kraigg Braithwaite’s second ton puts B’dos in control

Feb 23, 2015 Sports

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But Jaguars still with a chance of a Mash day win

By Sean Devers in Barbados
In Association with Western Union,
Carib Beer & Meet Your Match Dating Service

Tournament leaders Guyana Jaguars will be hoping to pull off what could be a pulsating win against the Barbados Pride today to give their supporters back home another reason to celebrate on Mashramani day as the South American Country celebrate its 45th Republic Anniversary.
Kraigg Braithwaite’s second ton of the game pushed Barbados into a commanding position on the penultimate day of their seventh round WICB Four-Day Cricket Franchise match against the Jaguars at the Kensington Oval yesterday but the Jaguars began their run chase auspiciously yesterday and showed that they were not going down without a fight.
The Jaguars resumed on 173-9 and a 48-run last wicket stand in 104 minutes between Devendra Bishoo (38) and Ronsford Beaton (15*) frustrated the home team and ensured they got a batting point as the Guyanese Franchise reached 221 in reply to the 312 made by Barbados.
Pacer Miguel Cummins finished with 5-63 and off-spinner Ashley Nurse (3-46) for the hosts, who declared at 241-6 in the second innings after Kraigg Braithwaite (112) and Kyle Corbin (52) had put together 97 for the first wicket and Braithwaite and Shai Hope (28) added 63 for the third.
Set 333 runs to win from 11 overs yesterday and a possible 110 more today, the Jaguars reached 41 without loss with Rajendra Chandrika (25) and Vishaul Singh on 14 at the crease with another 292 runs required for victory.
The elegant Chandrika stroked Tino Best for two gorgeous back-to-back boundaries while Vishaul Singh cut Best for four and danced into left arm spinner Jomel Warrican and hammered him for four to keep hopes alive of avoiding only their second loss of the season after their only defeat was against Barbados at Providence, when, set 69 to win, the Jaguars were bowled out for 66.
The 22-year-old Braithwaite batted for 271 minutes, faced 179 balls and hit 10 fours and a six in a delightful 112 and became the first ever batsman to score two tons in a Regional First-Class game at this venue and joined Ryan Hinds, who made 165 & 150 against the Leewards in St Thomas in 2006, as the only other Bajan to do so.
Chris Barnwell (2-33) and Beaton (2-37) were the main wicket-takers for the Jaguars, who have set up a thrilling finish today once rain does not spoil the run chase.
When play resumed in overcast conditions, Bishoo got going with a four in Warrican’s first over. Beaton showed a level head and sound defence while the Bishoo was not afraid to cut when the ball was pitched short by the pacers.
The partnership flourished with Bishoo stroking Best for three and Beaton stroking the former West Indian pacer for a couple of sublime boundaries that would have made any top order batsman proud.
Beaton’s boundary brought up the 200 and he celebrated the landmark with another four off the clearly frustrated Best, while Bishoo thumped Nurse to the boundary as his confidence increased as his innings progressed before Nurse ended the Guyanese resistance by bowling Bishoo for 38 from 46 balls and 71 minutes to leave Beaton unbeaten on 15.
Barbados, with a lead of 91 runs, began their second innings in positive mode and Braithwaite smashed Beaton for two majestic fours before cutting Raymond Reifer elegantly behind point for four as the Barbados skipper galloped into double figures while Corbin latched into Beaton and drove him in bullet-like fashion down the ground for four.
Watched by another fair sized crowd in bright sunshine, the Bajan openers built a firm foundation for the team.
Braithwaite is usually a very cautious batsman, but yesterday he took the attack to the Jaguars pacers in a pugnacious manner as he clobbered countryman Reifer for a murderous four through cover while Corbin, who is known to be the more attacking of the two, settled in to play the supporting role.
But Corbin could not contain his aggression when Reifer pitched up and was clobbered disdainfully back over his head for a one-bounce boundary and by Lunch the score was 41 without loss with Braithwaite on 22 and Corbin on 19.
Braithwaite was in a no-nonsense mood and dumped Bishoo into the stands over long-off as he tucked into the bowlers with increasing relish while Corbin stepped on the gas and rushed past his Captain with a flurry of audacious shots to reach his first fifty for Barbados from 88 balls, 104 minutes with four fours and a six.
Corbin, looking to ‘up the tempo’ to give his team the opportunity to declare and have enough time to bowl out Guyana twice, charged Beaton and skied the ball ‘miles’ into the air for Bishoo to take the catch at mid-on. His 52 lasted 95 balls, 127 minutes and reached the boundary four times and cleared it once.
Braithwaite soon got to his 30th half-century in First-Class cricket by stroking Bishoo to cover for a single. His fifty took 144 minutes, 94 balls and was decorated with six fours as the Bajans pressed for a 300 plus victory target.
Kirk Edward’s string of failures continued when he was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble off Beaton for one at 101-2 to bring Shai Hope to the crease.
Hope banged Bishoo to the mid-wicket boundary to get his innings started and along with Braithwaite carried the Bajans to 124-2 by Tea. Braithwaite was on 55, Hope on 12 and the overall lead 215.
After the break and under clear blue skies with a very strong breeze blowing across the ground causing the Broken Trident and the Golden Arrow Head (the only two flags among the CARICOM Nations with names) to flutter merrily in wind, the Barbadians continued to bat fluently.
Braithwaite pounced on Reifer like a cat upon a mouse and mauled him through extra cover for four and then steered him to the third man as he played with refreshing positivity.
Hope played some lovely shots in a cameo 28 before he was removed by Reifer to leave Barbados on 164-3 to end a 63-run third wicket stand. Royston Chase and Braithwaite scampered some quick singles and put away the bad balls as the Bajans made a consorted effort to score rapidly before Braithwaite played a maiden over from Permaul when on 99.
Braithwaite reached his second ton of the match with a glorious back foot punch to the cover boundary off Barnwell and celebrated by depositing the next ball over long-off for six to join 10 others who have scored two hundreds in the same game in Regional Cricket. His sixth First-Class ton came from 264 minutes, 172 balls with 10 fours.
But in the interest of quick scoring he missed a big drive and was bowled by Barnwell for 112 at 211-4 while his unrelated namesake Carlos (1) was removed by Barnwell, while Chase (19) was bowled by Permaul to leave the score on 224-6.
Nurse (21*) hit a few lusty blows before the declaration was made to set up a fascinating final day in which starts at 09:30hrs and in which 110 overs should be bowled.

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