Rutherford’s 6-32 gives Jaguars slim advantage as 14 wickets tumble on opening day

Nov 03, 2017 Sports

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CWI Digicel Regional four-day cricket

By Sean Devers in St Lucia
A maiden five-wicket haul by 19-year-old pacer Sherfane Rutherford was undone by senseless batting by the Guyana Jaguars top order on the opening day of their CWI Digicel Regional four-day cricket game against the Windwards Volcanoes at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground yesterday.
Rutherford, in only his third First-Class match, grabbed 6-32 and got support from fellow teenager Kemo Paul (2-28) as the Volcanoes fell for 151 despite a fighting 48 with five fours and a six from 61 balls from Kaveem Hodge, while 24 each from Bajan Kirk Edwards and wicketkeeper Gain Benjamin offered token resistance on a track with good pace and carry for the pacers.
The Jaguars top-order undid the good job of their bowlers as poor and irresponsible shot selection orchestrated their demise as Rajendra Chandrika (0), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (1) and Skipper Leon Johnson (7) all fell to injudicious shots.
Chandrika’s poor form continued when he hooked at one that got ‘big’ on him and spooned a catch to short backward square, while Chanderpaul impetuously pulled a quick bouncer to long-leg as the lively Sherman Lewis struck twice in the space of five runs to leave the Jaguars on 6-1.
Things got progressively worse for the South American Franchise when Johnson attempted to cut at one too close to him from left-arm pacer Obed McCoy and was caught behind.
At 22-3 a partnership was badly needed as the batmen seemed very uncomfortable against the short pitched bowling.
Chanderpaul Hemraj counterattacked with some good shots but tried to pull balls that got to him quicker than he anticipated and was drooped at cover as the ball came off the slice and fell just out of the reach of short mid-wicket running back off Lewis as he lived dangerously. However, he and Vishaul Singh got a decent partnership going on the slow outfield in hot conditions.
Hemraj stroked pacer Ray Jordon for four and lofted off-spinner Shane Shillingford for six and reached the ropes five times and cleared it once as he raced to back-to-back fifties this season before he pushed at Shillingford and was caught behind to end the 64-run stand and leave his team on 88-4.
Singh looked very compact and was willing to use his feet to the spinners and by the close was still there on 34 from 74 balls with three fours. With him was Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble on 13 from 33 balls.
Their fifth wicket stand is already worth 29 and leaving the Jaguars to get another 34 runs for a first innings lead. Lewis had so far picked up 2-31.
Earlier, Jaguars asked Volcanoes to bat on a track with a tinge of green and Skipper Tyrone Teophile drove Romario Shepherd to Rutherford at mid-on before he had scored to leave the hosts on 6-1.
The 36-year-old Devon Smith, on the back of an unbeaten 185 in the last round in Grenada, stroked Keon Joseph, just back from West Indies ‘A’ team duties, majestically to the ropes at cover before he edged Paul to Johnson at first slip after making just 12 at 34-2.
It was soon 38-3 when Ronald Cato (4) was caught behind by Bramble as Paul, who had a nine-wicket match haul the last time the Volcanoes played Jaguars, struck again.
Edwards and Hodge tried to repair the early damage but Hodge looked uncomfortable against Shepherd’s short balls as Guyana used their four-prong pace attack for the 25 overs bowled in the opening session.
Edwards looked solid and his scoring shots included a perfectly placed on-drive off Paul for four but just as the partnership was beginning to take shape Rutherford up-rooted Edward’s off-stump and at 74-4 just before Lunch, the three-times defending Champions were in firm control.
By Lunch Hodge was engaged in a gritty battle with the pacers and was undefeated on 26. With him was Benjamin on 4 and the Windwards were 81-4.
After the break, the handful of fans in the stands saw Hodge hit Veerasammy Permaul back over his head for a boundary before edging a cut at the left-arm spinner for Bramble to hold one of his four consecutive catches to leave the Volcanoes on 108-5.
The pint size Benjamin from Hurricane ravaged Island of Dominica, played aggressively before he was removed by Rutherford at 130-6 and none of the remaining batsmen, except Shillingford (12) reached double figures.
Today is the second day and play starts at 10:00hrs. Fans can follow the live streaming on cricketwestindies.org.
Scores: VOLCANOES 151 (Kavem Hodge 48, Gian Benjamin 24, Kirk Edwards 24; Sherfane Rutherford 6-32, Keemo Paul 2-28).
JAGUARS 117 for four (Chanderpaul Hemraj 50, Vishaul Singh 33 not out; Sherman Lewis 2-30).

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