Latest update April 7th, 2025 12:08 AM
Hemraj (5-24 & 109) dominate final practice game at LBI
Chanderpaul Hemraj followed up 5-24 with a magnificent 109 at LBI yesterday.
Shimron Hetmyer continued his string of failures in the practice matches as his off-stump is sent flying by Nail Smith for a first ball duck.
Chris Barnwell made 34 and shared in a 88-run stand with Hemraj yesterday.
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Jaguars wrapped up their practice matches in preparations for next month’s Regional Super50 tournament set for Antigua with the last of three games yesterday at the CGI’s LBI facility on the East Coast of Demerara.
Led by a brilliant all round performance from left-arm spinner Chanderpaul Hemraj who grabbed 5-24 from seven overs and followed it up with delightful 109 decorated with eight scorching fours and a similar number of sixes, Leon Johnson’s X1 beat Vishaul Singh’s X1 by two wickets.
Hemraj was the architect of destruction as Singh’s X1 were bowled out for 175 in 39.2 overs with Romario Shepherd leading the way with an unbeaten 43 with two sixes and a couple of fours.
The West Indies all-rounder added 54 for the last wicket with fellow Berbician Gudakesh Motie who made 31 with three boundaries after opener Assad Fudadin, who hit three fours and three sixes in 39 and Tevin Imlach (8) had added 47 for the second wicket.
Johnson’s X1 in reply reached their victory target of 175-5 in 30 overs but eventually ended on 209-8 with Hemraj and Chris Barnwell who clobbered two sixes and three fours in an aggressive 34 adding 88 runs for the fourth wicket after joining forces with their team on 39-3.
The genuinely quick Nail Smith, leggie Devendra Bishoo and left arm spinner Anthony Adams took two wickets each.
When play commenced, Singh’s X1 lost Kelvon Anderson at 1-1 when he was bowled for duck by pacer Dimitri Cameron before Fudadin, who played some lovely shots on a track and outfield not completely ‘settled’ as yet added 47 with Imlach who edged Hemraj to Johnson at slip.
Hemraj, utilizing a two-paced track which offered prodigious turn for the spinners, orchestrated a slump which left the score on 121-9 before Shepherd and Motie staged a last wicket fight back with their half-century partnership.
When Johnson’s X1 began their run chase Trevon Griffith looked set for a big score after executing a pair of imperious extra cover drives off Shepherd.
Hemraj was also looking solid but with the opening stand worth 39, the left-handed Griffith got a ball from Smith that ‘got big’ on him and his miscued pull was taken at mid-on as he gifted his wicket under blue skies.
Smith, running in hard, sent the off stump of Shimron Hetmyer flying with one that kept low and came back a touch as the left-hander played back and Smith was on a hat-trick.
Skipper Johnson was then run out for a duck at 39-3 before Barnwell, who began in a circumspect manner to Smith got going with a straight drive off Shepherd for four.
Hemraj hit Smith for three consecutive boundaries in an expensive over. He began with a Roy Fredericks-like hook for four, followed by a dismissive pull over mid-on before a scintillating straight drive almost took Smith’s ankle with it to the boundary as it sped across the outfield with sand patches evident.
Barnwell, caught at point off a free-hit from Smith and off a no-ball from Keon Joseph, launched into Joseph; lofting him for successive sixes.
A six from Hemraj off Motie ensured he joined Akshaya Persaud who made an unbeaten 51 in the first practice game as the batsmen with fifties.
Hemraj continued to take the attack to the bowlers before Barnwell was taken at mid-off at 127-4 before Hemraj was allowed to register the only century in the three practice matches as batsmen had batting practice in a match situation although the target was passed.
The players will go for their covid-19 tests on Sunday before doing a second test on January 28 before leaving for Antigua on January 30. (Sean Devers)
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