ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed his 600th first class scalp as 13 wickets perished on day one of the final game of the Headley Weekes Tri-Series yesterday.
The 33-year-old finished with three for 16 while left-arm seamer Dominic Drakes picked up three for 17, spells which sent Team Headley tumbling for 177 all out, after they opted to bat first on Wednesday at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
In reply, Team Weekes stumbled to 61 for three, trailing by 116 runs heading into the second day of the contest.
They were 50 for one but off-spinner Chaim Holder snatched two wickets for two runs in three overs, to hurt the innings late in the day.
However, it was Permaul’s feat which took the headlines. Beginning the day with 599 wickets, Permaul reached his milestone when he knocked over Akeem Jordan at 145 for seven, caught at the wicket essaying a heave just over half-hour before tea.
“You’re always happy to achieve milestones but like I said, this is like a normal game for me. It’s just another game,” a nonchalant Permaul said.
Kavem Hodge top-scored with 67 but other than for opener Kieran Powell’s 23, no other batsman got among the runs as bowlers dominated.
There was no sign of the imminent collapse when Powell and teenaged left-hander Matthew Nandu (4), a late call-up as a replacement for the injured Shayne Moseley, put on 31 for the first wicket.
But once the left-handed Powell missed an ugly heave and was lbw to Drakes, the top and middle order capitulated.
Nineteen balls later with four runs added, Nandu flirted with a widish delivery and gave wicketkeeper Devon Thomas the first of his five catches and when Drakes hit Sunil Ambris (4) in front, Team Headley were reeling at 46 for three.
In his very next over, the enterprising Drakes had fellow Barbadian Tevyn Walcott caught at first slip by Kevin Sinclair for eight, and captain Joshua Da Silva (4) and Justin Greaves (5) followed cheaply to leave the innings tottering on 74 for six at lunch.
Hodge, who entered at number three, then combined with Jordan in a crucial 71-run, seventh wicket stand in the second session to rescue the innings from total collapse.
The 30-year-old Hodge faced 151 deliveries in almost 3-¼ hours at the crease and struck 10 fours while Jordan counted four fours off 83 balls in a shade over 1-½ hours.
On 65 at tea with his side on 165 for seven, Hodge fell to the eighth delivery following the resumption, deceived in flight by off-spinner Kevin Sinclair and caught behind at 167 for eight.
Team Headley hit back immediately with the ball when Zachary McCaskie departed for two in the second over, before left-handed Test teammates Raymon Reifer (34) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (12) steadied the innings in a 48-run, second wicket stand.
Holder provided one final twist, trapping Chanderpaul lbw and then bowling Reifer with the day’s final delivery.
