GCB Jaguars 3-day League …‘Red Man’ follows up ton with 3-wicket burst to keep W/B’ce on top of East Bank

Sep 25, 2016 Sports

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Century partnership for Imlach & Narayan

By Sean Devers
Pacer Keyron ‘Red Man’ Fraser followed up his century with three quick wickets to leave

East Bank on 275-8 in reply to West Berbice’s 407-9 declared at Enterprise despite a 146-run fifth wicket between Danny Narayan (72) and Tevin Imlach (70) on the second day of the fifth round GCB Jaguars three-day Franchise League yesterday.
Fraser was unbeaten on 120 as West Berbice declared on their overnight 407-9 to claim five batting points and register the highest total in the tournament so far before the wiry pacer removed Ershad Ali (12) and Stephon Harris (0) in the first over with the second new ball just before the close.
Fraser charged in and bowled a lively late afternoon spell to finish the day with 3-41 after leg-spinner Kevin Jawahir (3-64) had removed three of the first four East Bank batsmen to leave them on 83-4 at Lunch.
Stephon Browne (27) and Deonarine Seegobin (37) added 72 for the first wicket in sultry conditions.
However, Jawahir got rid of both openers before producing a perfect quicker ball which bowled National U-19 left-hander Sherfane Rutherford for a duck after he had blasted 106 from 89 balls in the last round against Georgetown at Albion.
After Lunch the Berbicians were in a strong position to force East Bank, who have struggled with the bat this season, to a score which was less than the follow-on target of 257.

But 29-year-old Narayan and Imlach who turns 20 in November, joined forces in ‘operation rebuild’ and by Tea were still together with their team on 174-4 and the pair growing in confidence with every ball they faced on a good track for cricket.
Narayan, struggling with fitness issues, has been consistent if not outstanding in the League. He got a fifty against GT and 48 & 33 at Lusignan against Upper Corentyne but he has not managed to get a really big score.
Imlach has had a tidy League with the gloves but has not managed to produce in front of the stumps with his previous highest score being 16.
To make matters worse Skipper and First-Class player Steven Jacobs, who started his career as a batsman who could bowl, has struggled with the bat for the East Bank Franchise.
But yesterday that slowly started to change as Narayan, who ran out of gas and used salted water to counter craps and the out of form Imlach, batted wonderfully on a sandy outfield in one area which robbed the batsmen value for their shots.
Narayan tried to hit the ball too hard while Imlach encountered problems with his placement in the early stages of their batting union but once they survived to Tea and conditions became cooler the pair began to flourish.
Narayan got to his second fifty from 126 balls with four boundaries while Imlach swiveled and pulled Sherwin McPherson disdainfully for four to reach his first half-century from 128 balls decorated with four fours and a six.

Imlach swept Jawahir for four to bring up the 200 and East Bank had achieved a batting point. Narayan was now in full flow and leaned back and waited on the ball before cutting it magnificently in the gap between point and cover off Leon Andrews for what was arguably the shot of the day.
When Narayan dragged a ball from pacer Barrington Mitchell onto his stumps, he had batted for 211 minutes, faced 160 balls, reached the boundary five times and cleared it once. The right-hander had not managed a three-figure score but the stand with Imlach could be a match saving one.
Jacobs joined Imlach, who pounced on McPherson, trying to buy a wicket with some innocuous spin and brutally smashed him for four. But with the score on 244, Imlach inexplicably played no shot to one that cut back slightly from Fraser and lost his off-stump.
It was a crucial error of judgement which brought to an end a superbly crafted innings. Imlach’s 70 lasted 214 minutes, 172 balls. It included six fours and two sixes.
Ershad Ali (12) stayed for 59 minutes with Jacobs, who was batting himself back into form with several confident drives forcing the second new ball to be taken as the batsmen dominated proceedings.
Fraser stuck two telling blows with the score on 264 but Jacobs, strangely batting at number seven, was unbeaten on a solid unbeaten 21, while Sagar Hathiramani who is developing into a genuine all-rounder, was with him on two with East Bank still 132 runs behind going into the final day today.
Meanwhile, at Port Mourant, Essequibo resuming on their overnight score of 99/4 in reply to Upper Corentyne’s 206/9 declared, were eventually dismissed for 165. Former Test batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul top scored with 55. Bowling for Upper Corentyne, Eon Hooper (5-30) bagged his second five-wicket haul.
Upper Corentyne in their second turn at the crease were then dismissed for 201. Clinton Pestano scored 47, Kevlon Anderson and Eon Hooper both made 40, while Jason Sinclair chipped in with 20. Kemo Paul (4), Anthony Adams (3) and Ricardo Adams (2) were the main wicket takers.
Essequibo requiring 243 for victory are one for one wicket with Rayon Fredericks the batsman dismissed.

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