Latest update April 18th, 2025 8:12 AM
WICB PCL Cricket ….Johnson hit unbeaten 73 on truncated opening day
By Sean Devers
On a truncated day in which 250 minutes and 40 overs were lost due to rain at Providence, Guyana Jaguars Skipper Leon Johnson stroked an unbeaten 73 to lead his team to 170-2 from 50 overs against the Barbados Pride on the opening day of their third round WICB PCL four-day cricket match yesterday.
Mario Rampersaud acrobatically attempts to catch Leon Johnson during his unbeaten 73 yesterday.
The 28-year-old left-handed Johnson stroked nine fours and two fours in his 24th First-Class fifty from 119 balls, 222 minutes and added 79 with Assad Fudadin, who made 42 from 94 balls, 136 minutes with four fours and an unbeaten 60-run stand with his Vice-Captain Vishaul Singh, who was still there when bad light stopped at 16:45 hrs not out on 30 from 59 balls, 131 minutes with two fours.
Morning rain delayed the start of play by 90 minutes, the home team, who left out Keon Joseph and Jevon Searles from their starting X1, opted to bat in overcast conditions and a slow track.
Teenager Shemron Hetmyer, in his fifth First-Class and first for this season, replaced Rajendra Chandrika who leaves the Caribbean for Australia on Monday, clipped Tino Best to square-leg boundary off the day’s first ball before spanking the pacer behind point for another four while Fudadin started cautiously.
Hetymer, who looked very positive and one for the future, stroked four confident fours in a cameo 24 from 29 balls and 48 minutes before he edged off-spinner Ashley Nurse low to
Shemron Hetymer is about to be caught as slip by Benn.
Suleiman Benn at first slip.
Umpire Nandkumar Shivsankar seemed doubtful that Hetymer was out but after consulting with Jamaican Chris Taylor made the right decision to send the left-hander on his way at 31-1 and by Lunch, which was taken early due to more rain, the score was 31-1 from 10 overs.
After Lunch Johnson hammered Nurse for four before caressing Miguel Cummins for another boundary past mid-on while Fudadin, battling to overcome his poor form, fought through a tentative period by dancing into Nurse, who bowled too many bad balls, and stroked him for four before lofting the spinner for six as the partnership began to flourish.
Fudadin, who was dropped at cover when he skied one off Nurse, was looking more and more confident when another controversial decision by Shivsankar ended his innings when the 30-year-old with three Tests to his name, was eight short of his 21st fifty at this level.
Fudadin was given caught at bat/pad as the ball seemed to come off his thigh pad as Benn made the breakthrough at 110-2.
Johnson was also dropped off Skipper Kevin Stout who bowled with impressive accuracy on the placid track. The Bajans continued to field poorly under mucky skies as Johnson give himself room and cut Nurse through the hands of Shamarh Brooks at point for four.
Singh picked up from where he left off in the last game when he scored a masterful 150 and looked rock solid and refreshingly positive in his approach. Singh used his feet nicely to the towering Benn and tucked him delightfully past mid-on as the ball sped to the ropes.
Rain again intervened during the Tea break which was taken at 145-2 with Johnson on 54 and Singh on 24 and after another 105 minutes were lost after Tea the action resumed at 16:20.
When Cummins bowled short Johnson pulled him for a couple of boundaries and when Nurse was reintroduced, clobbered him for a disdainful six over mid-wicket.
With 60 overs left today for the Jaguars to earn bonus points, the hosts look set to reach 350 by then to get three bonus points.
Today play will start at 09:00hrs to make up for the time lost yesterday.
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