GCB President’s Trophy competition
– Left-handed opening batsman Vishal Singh struck a century against Rohan Kanhai Strikers on the first day of their three-day encounter yesterday
Vishal Singh’s century along with half centuries from Homchand Pooran and Steven Jacobs (59) were the highlight of the first day’s play in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) /President’s Trophy match between the Clive Lloyd Super Cats and the Rohan Kanhai Strikers yesterday.
Playing at the Demerara Cricket club (DCC) ground and opting to take first strike after winning the toss, the Super Cats were 361-5 at the close of play, with Singh blasting 101, Pooran an unbeaten 83 and Jacobs 59.
Skipper Leon Johnson was not-out on 47.
Johnson’s Super Cats innings got off to a rousing start as Richard Ramdeen (35) and Norman Fredericks (13) added 33 for the first wicket from 7.3 overs, with Fredericks hitting the first delivery bowled by national fast bowler Trevon Garraway exquisitely through the covers for four.
Ramdeen, who was dropped by wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble when on three and the Super Cats score reading 10 without loss in the fourth over off Paul Wintz (2-29), hit the same bowler over cover point for four, followed by an outside edge between gully and third slip for another boundary.
Garraway was also flicked for six by Ramdeen, who saw the demise of Fredericks who pushed a ball to mid on off Wintz after batting for 37 minutes and facing 29 balls for his 13 that was decorated with three fours.
Jacobs joined Ramdeen and they added 27 for the second wicket before Ramdeen who had struck Wintz back over his head for six to post the team’s 50, was caught by Royston Crandon at cover off Wintz.
This brought Singh and Jacobs together and they added 96 runs for the third wicket with some deft shots and sensible running between the wickets.
Jacobs, who had come off the mark by hitting Garraway who was bowling with pace and aggression on the fast wicket off his legs through forward square for four, followed that up with two sweetly-timed boundaries off Jason Benn.
Kellon Carmichael replaced Wintz and he too came in for some rough treatment by Jacobs who struck him all along the ground for four which was followed by three successive boundaries later in his innings. Singh got into the boundary hitting act when he sent Benn crashing through point for four, while Jacobs pulled Sauid Drepaul through mid wicket for another one of the10 boundaries he struck whilst batting for 104 minutes and faced 84 balls.
But just after passing his 50, and surviving some short and testing deliveries from fast bowler Keyron Fraser (2-33), Jacobs saw Rakesh Goberdhan floor a catch after he mistimed hook from Fraser at forward short leg.
At lunch, Clive Lloyd Super Cats were 140-2, with Jacobs on 50 and Singh 29, but Narsingh Deonarine’s Strikers got success soon after lunch, when Jacobs was caught by Benn at cover, when he too drove uppishly to a Fraser delivery.
Ranga Lachigadoo came but did not last long, as Fraser induced him to drive at one outside the off stump, which he edged through to Orin Forde at slip before he had scored, which left the Super Cats on 166-4 in the 35th over of their innings. It was at this point that Singh and Pooran joined forces and posted 104 for the fifth wicket for their team with sensible running and pugnacious hitting.
While Pooran adjusted to the wicket and the bounce it was offering the bowlers, especially the faster ones, an already settled Singh attacked disdainfully, playing some deft square cut off the spinners, along with exquisite drives mainly through the cover and extra cover region. Pooran stamped his authority over the young Fraser, with an audacious straight drive which opened his account, followed by an exquisite cover drive off Wintz and a square cut off Garraway which sped away to the boundary with the speed of light.
Singh duly got to his hundred, with a pushed to mid on for two off the bowling of Goberdhan from his 119th, hitting 13 fours and one six whilst batting for 184 minutes. But with the scheduled tea break one over away, he attempted to pull at a short delivery from the same bowler and got a top edge to mid on where Sauid Drepaul held the catch.
All told, Singh who recently returned from England where he had a successful stint with Sandwich Cricket Club, faced 125 balls and struck 13 fours and one six whilst batting for 188 minutes for his innings of 101 and at his demise, the Super Cats were 260-5, which they increased to 262 at tea, with Pooran on 36 and Johnson 2.
The new ball was taken at 16:55hrs, but had no effect and it took fading light to end the action as umpires Clyde Duncan and Daverteeth Anandjeet offered the light to the batsmen who accepted at 16:57hrs, with the Clive Lloyd Super Cats perfectly placed on 361-5 from 81.5 overs.
Wintz (2-29), Fraser (2-33) and Goberdhan (1-29) are the successful bowlers for the Rohan Kanhai Strikers, who will be hoping that Garraway and company can claim the remaining five wickets as early as possible today when play commences from 09:30hrs.
