By Royston Alkins
The Windwards Islands Volcanoes ended day two of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Digicel Professional Cricket League (PCL) Regional four-day championships on 102 – 5 still 179 runs behind the Guyana Jaguars first innings score of 379 all out at the Providence National Stadium yesterday.
Day two started with Guyana Jaguars firmly in control of the match on 209 for two replying to the Windward Volcanoes first innings score of 95 all out with Assad Fudadin on 113 and night-watchman Gudakesh Motie on two, resuming.
Jaguars, however, lost four quick wickets during the first hour of the morning session, slipping to 244-6 with debutant Sherfane Rutherford (11) the sixth wicket to fall after he slashed at a wide delivery from left-arm-seamer Delorn Johnson who bowled steadily under the overcast morning skies to take three for 13 from four overs. Johnson, in his morning spell, dismissed Fudadin for 125, an innings which lasted 189 deliveries and which was decorated with 15 fours and two sixes in 264 minutes.
He had added only 12 runs to his overnight total.
The left-armer also dismissed Anthony Bramble (07) while right-arm-seamer Kyle Mayers produced the ball of the morning to bowl skipper Leon Johnson (00) as Guyana lost five wickets for 62 runs to the end the first session on 271 for 7.
It was left to Keemo Paul and Steven Jacobs, both unbeaten on 13, to ensure that Guyana ended the first session without any further mishap.
Paul and Jacobs continued to push the score along after the break as the Volcanoes bowlers took the second new ball.
Paul (46), however, missed out on a half-century when he edged a ball down the leg side to hand Johnson his third five-wicket at the first-class level.
Jacobs, who looked in great touch, carried on by playing a number of exquisite drives down the ground including one off pacer Sherman Lewis to post his fifth half-century at this level.
He was soon bowled by Mayers for 61 which came off 122 balls and included eight fours. Jaguars were eventually dismissed for 379 from 112 overs.
Volcanoes bowling was led by Johnson who finished with 5 for 47 from 28 overs while the nagging Mayers grabbed 4 for 88 from 15 overs.
Volcanoes, with a tall order ahead of them, started the final session with Devon Smith looking in ominous form. He played an array of classy shots to carry the Islanders to 50 off only 14 overs after they lost the wickets of Tryon Theophile (10) bowled by Romario Shepherd and Jalani Robinson (18) who fell LBW to left-arm-spinner Veersammy Permaul to leave Volcanoes on 67 – 2 in the 19th over.
The defending champions were once again celebrating when Rutherford had Andre Fletcher (5) caught and bowled to take his maiden first-class wicket while skipper Sunil Ambris (8) and Kavem Hodge (0) went in similar fashion, caught Shephard bowled Motie, to leave their side 100 – 5, still trailing by 184 runs.
Smith duly reached his half–century by pulling Rutherford through the square-leg boundary for four to assert his dominance at this level. His knock came off 80 balls and included seven fours and a solitary six. The visitors ended day two on a 102 for 5 with Smith not out on 60 while Motie has so far collected two for three and Shephard, Permaul, and Rutherford, one wicket each.
