Guyana Jaguars took less than an hour to claim Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s final four wickets to win their third round Cricket West Indies Regional four-day clash by 219 runs at the National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
Under cloudy conditions with drizzles, Red Force resumed yesterday’s final day on the brink of defeat at 122 for six. Only 16 overs were bowled for the day as the visitors folded for 183 in 61.2 overs, chasing 403 for victory.
Jaguars’ Head Coach, Esaun Crandon stated, “We stamped our authority at home… before the game I asked the guys to come out and play some good cricket and own the conditions and we did that pretty well.”
Crandon indicated that once they batted well in the first innings where they scored 323, the guys did well.
With 10 half centuries in the side already this season and no ton, Crandon emphasized that it is something that the team is looking at. He also commended the bowlers for limiting Red Force to 98 in their first innings, highlighting Man-of-the-Match, Veerasammy Permaul who, he said in his opinion gives it his best every time he goes
out.
Left-arm spinner, Permaul, who surpassed 500 wickets at this level, continued his domination picking up four wickets and ending with a match haul of 8-71.
After the match, Permaul was presented with an accolade by the Guyana Cricket Board in recognition of his feat. The spinner became the fourth Guyanese to reach the landmark after Lance Gibbs, Roger Harper and Carl Hooper. Territorial Development Officer, 
Colin Stuart, congratulated the Albion bowler on his achievement and said that Permaul’s name will always be etched in Guyana’s cricketing history. The 30-year-old foiled a resistance from the Red Force lower order by dismissing Terrance Hinds (22) who added 31 for the eighth wicket with Yannick Ottley (22), and enticing an egregious swipe by Odean Smith (14) who was stumped by Anthony Bramble. Prior to Smith’s dismissal, he had added 28 for the last wicket with Bryan Charles who made 13 not out.
Earlier, 24-year-old pacer, Nial Smith made the breakthrough in the second over of the day by trapping Akeal Hosein leg before wicket.
After the match, Red Force’s Head Coach, Mervyn Dillon said that his team, by not scoring heavily in the first innings, had their backs against the wall.
“When you don’t score 300 runs in either of the innings, your back is always against the wall…cricket is a game where you are going to have stuff like this and lose but having said that I don’t think we were anywhere close to the cricket we have shown we are capable of in the first two games of the season.”
The former West Indies seamer rejected the view of Red Force being light in their bowling attack but acknowledged the void in the absence of the injured Anderson Phillip. He said that the wicket was decent compared to what was expected and opined that probably the approach was off.
