WICB PCL cricket …Johnson (92) & Fudadin (94*) give Jaguars 23-run lead

Dec 06, 2015 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Trinidad
In association with Raj Singh Insurance Brokers,
Stag Beer & Noble House Seafoods     

An entertaining 138-run second wicket stand between Skipper Leon Johnson (92) and Assad Fudadin (94*) spearhead the Guyana Jaguars to 233-3 and a lead of 23 as they replied to Trinidad & Tobago’s Red Force’s first day

210 when day two of their fourth round WICB PCL four-day First-Class Franchise match at the Queen’s Park Oval was stopped due to bad light with nine overs to be remaining yesterday.
Johnson’s 92 lasted 132 balls, 138 minutes and included seven fours and five sixes as the left-hander once again failed to convert a well compiled 25th fifty into a third First-Class ton, while Fudadin’s innings has spanned 234 balls, 324 minutes and included six fours and two sixes after he and Johnson joined forces at 10-1 when West Indies under-19 opener Shimron Hetmyer (7) was LBW to Guyanese born pacer Marlon Richards in the day’s third over.
Fudadin was six short of his fifth First-Class hundred, while Shiv Chanderpaul was with him on 22 from 79 balls and 80 minutes at the close.
On a day blessed with glorious sunshine the Jaguars resumed on 9-0 in reply to the Red Force’s 210 and quickly lost Hetmyer, playing in his last game before leaving for the West Indies under-19 camp for next year’s U-19 World Cup.
The 28-year-old Johnson flicked debutant pacer Uthman Muhammad to open his account with a boundary before he audaciously pulled the 26-old for four as he began in positive fashion before 30-year-old Fudadin backed away and spanked Richards behind point for four.
It is the Christmas season here in the Twin Island Republic but preparations for

Carnival 2016 in February, which is the most important holiday for most Trinis, is already in full swing and although yesterday was Saturday the Stands remained virtually empty all day.
The less that 25 fans in the Carib Beer stand watched as Johnson caressed Muhammad past mid-off for four on a track with some bounce but good for batting and the openers set a firm foundation for the Jaguars against an inexperienced T&T attack badly missing Gabriel, Narine, Emrit, Rampaul, Cooper, Bravo and Pollard.
Narsingh Deonarine’s off-spin was introduced in the 16th over and he spun one past Johnson, one of six left-handers in the top order, in his first over. Richards and Deonarine operated in tandem in an all Guyanese bowling attack and both batsmen, especially Johnson looked untroubled.
Johnson cut leg-spinner Imran Khan disdainfully for four and looked in sublime form on the lush green and immaculately manicured outfield while Fudadin played the supporting role. Johnson slashed Deonarine for four to bring up the 50 in the 20th over before lofting Khan effortless over mid-off for a one-bounce boundary as the partnership gained momentum.

Johnson danced into Khan and deposited him for six over long-off to gallop into the forties and clobbered left-spinner Kavesh Kantasingh for six to reach his fifty, while Fudadin was content to work the ball into the gaps and rotate the strike.
The 100 was posted in 34th over but shortly after the landmark was reached Fudadin stretched forward to Jason Mohamed and was dropped at silly-mid off on 34 at 105-1 but the 100 partnership came up in the final over before Lunch which was taken at 112-1. The first session produced 103 runs from 34 overs and one wicket with Johnson on 65 and Fudadin on 38 being the not out batsmen at the interval.
After Lunch Johnson waded into Richards and dumped him for a couple of sixes before swiveling and pulling him for four to race into the 80s. But when on 92, Johnson seemed to lose concentration and missed an impetuous sweep at Deonarine and was bowled off the under edge at 148-2.
The inform Vishaul Singh joined Fudadin, who soon reached his fifty when he late cut Deonarine for four and together they pushed the Jaguars to 181-2 by Tea which was taken five minutes early after there was a hold-up for five minutes after Fudadin complained that a pair of lights on the Joey Carew Member Balcony was distracting him. The lights were eventually turned off and at the break Fudadin was unbeaten 64 and his Vice-Captain on 16.
One ball was bowled after the break before a shower sent the players scurrying off the field and when the action resumed after a delay of 15 minutes, Singh, the leading run scorer in this tournament, was run out by a direct hit to the non-striker’s end for 16 to leave the score on 183-3.
After a quiet period between Fudadin and Chanderpaul, Fudadin lofted Khan for six against the run of play to give the Jaguars a batting point as they reached 200 in 76 overs as angry looking dark clouds hovered overhead.
Another shower stopped play at 16:00hrs and the game restarted 40 minutes later in sunshine and Chanderpaul whipped Kantasingh for four and along with Fudadin who played without taking any risks ensured that no other wicket fell before the close.
Meanwhile, in the Jamaica versus Leewards game, the Leewards closed on 112 for 3 in their second innings. They had made 164 in their first and eventually dismissed Jamaica for 243 in their first inning for a lead of 23.

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