Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
WICB PCL four-day cricket…Smith, Shillingford lead Volcanoes fight back, Jaguars dismissed for 95
By Sean Devers
Devon Smith (52) brought the Windwards Volcanoes back into the game before off-spinner Shane Shillingford captured his second five-wicket haul (5-36) to give the visitors a real chance of victory against Defending Champions Guyana Jaguars at the end of the penultimate day of their four-day WICB PCL first round cricket match at the Providence Stadium yesterday.
Shiv Chanderpaul sweep Shillingford for four during his top score of 34 at Providence yesterday.
The Volcanoes began the day on 127-2 in reply to the Jaguars’ 362 and were dismissed for 228-9 innings closed despite Smith’s 47th First-Class fifty before Shillingford’s 31st five-wicket haul and ninth 10-wicket match haul sent the hosts crashing to 95 all out in the final over of the day.
The Volcanoes, who lost both of their games against the Jaguars in the last PCL tournament, begin today needing 230 to register their eighth win in 38 matches against Guyana and an intriguing final day battle is anticipated with both teams in with a chance of winning.
When the day began the 34-year-old Grenadian Smith got to his fifty when an inside edge for four off left-arm spinner 20-year-old Gudakesh Motie, who bowled well on debut.
Smith’s problems against off-spinners continued when Steven Jacobs, who strangely did not start the attack with Smith at crease, produced one that bounced and turned to have the left-hander caught behind at 158-3.
The West Indies batsman shared in an 80-run stand with his overnight partner Keddy Lesporis (38) and struck six fours in his 158-ball and 189-minute innings before Lesporis provided the impressive Motie with his first wicket in First-Class cricket as two wickets fell at 158.
Dalton Polius (31) was just beginning to look good when Ronsford Beaton, who bowled with plenty of hostility, bowled a short ball which Polius top edged for the bowler to take the skied offering. The Essequibian then produced a nasty bouncer which crashed into the helmet of Liam Sebastien (14) forcing him to retire a run later at 212-6.
Kyle Miles was bowled for a duck by Jacobs, who bowled with plenty of variation and by Lunch the Islanders were 212-7.
After the interval, Beaton induced Marvin Matthews (6) to glove a vicious bouncer to be caught but the Umpire deemed that the ball had come off his helmet. However, Beaton soon got his man while Jacobs removed Kenroy Peters for a duck to end the innings.
Jacobs (4-56), Beaton (2-56) and Motie (2-66) all bowled well for Jaguars who began their second innings with a lead of 134, which they wasted by the end of the day with an atrocious display of shot selection.
Assad Fudadin (0) injudiciously pulled Mayers for Peters at mid-on to hold a brilliant catch before first innings centurion Rajendra Chandrika (5) played across to Mathews and was LBW. Leon Johnson (2) played a loose cut at Mayers to leave the Jaguars badly wounded on 7-3.
Vishaul Singh and Shiv Chanderpaul took their time to rebuild the innings with responsible batting on a track was still good for batting as the volcano bowlers bowled with impeccable control.
Singh played to supporting role as he and Chanderpaul, who picked the gaps nicely, added 57 important runs for the fourth wicket, before Chanderpaul, against the run of played, danced into Shillingford and clobbered him over mid-on for four.
But two balls later the former West Indies Captain was trapped LBW with a perfect arm ball at 64-4. His 34 lasted 64 balls, 81 minutes and included four fours.
Raymon Reifer got a second ball duck then edged a wild drive off Shillingford to Smith at slip without addition to the score.
Peters removed Chris Barnwell (2) and Anthony Bramble (1) to impetuous shots in the space of two runs and when Singh edged Shillingford to the Keeper at 74-8, five wickets had tumbled for 10 runs. Singh’s patient 24 lasted 88 balls, 145 minutes and was decorated with three fours but in the context of the game it was a well compiled innings.
Beaton spooned a catch to mid-wicket off Shillingford who also removed Jacobs (16) who was very unlucky to given caught off his pad by Umpire Nandkumar Shivsankar, to end a disappointing day for the 47 fans in the stands.
Photos 1: Shane Shillingford, who took his 9th 10-wkt haul yesterday, bowls to Vishaul Singh as Shiv Chanderpaul watch from the bowler’s end.
Photo 2: Devon Smith drives at Providence yesterday.
Photo 3: Shiv Chanderpaul sweep Shillingford for four during his top score of 34 at Providence yesterday.
– Shane Shillingford took his 9th 10-wkt haul yesterday.
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