A young tiger roared at Kensington Oval yesterday.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul fashioned a maiden first-class century, but champions Guyana Jaquars had to settle for a draw against Barbados Pride on yesterday’s final day of their Digicel Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day match at Kensington Oval.
The 21-year-old son of former West Indies’ Test batsman Shivnarine “Tiger” Chanderpaul, who made a “duck” in the innings, mixed defence with attack in scoring 101 not out off 275 balls in six and a half hours at the crease, while striking nine fours.
Starting the day with an overall lead of 252 runs, the Jaguars waited until Chanderpaul completed his century before declaring at 263 for five in their second innings.
Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble continued his fine form with the bat, smashing five sixes and four fours in an attacking 74 off 78 balls while moving his tournament aggregate to 571 runs.
Set a far-fetched 362 runs for victory, Barbados Pride ended on 208 for four off 58 overs with opener Kraigg Brathwaite scoring 54 while captain Shamarh Brooks made 40 to prevent the Jaguars from gaining a seventh victory in nine matches.
Promising 19-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder Keemo Paul took two for 76 in 16 overs to carry his season’s tally to 36 wickets at an average of under 17 runs apiece in nine games.
Paul led the bowling for the Guyana Jaguars after their fastest bowler Romario Shepherd, who took a career-best five for 40 in the first innings, pulled up with a hamstring problem after delivering a solitary over.
Shepherd was replaced by Raymon Reifer, who had opened the bowling and he quickly uprooted the leg stump of his Wanderers’ club mate, Shayne Moseley for 28, ending an opening stand of 60 with Brathwaite.
Brathwaite, who hit eight fours in his 122-ball innings and Brooks, with six fours and a six in 40 off 65 balls, then featured in a second wicket stand of 76 runs.
But Paul, returning for a third spell, broke the stand when he forced Brathwaite to awkwardly fend off a bouncer for substitute wicketkeeper Vishaul Singh to take a simple catch.
Singh was pressed into duties behind the stumps as a precaution for Bramble, who sought medical attention following the end of Saturday’s day play after he was struck on the helmet by pacer Miguel Cummins early in his innings but opted to continue batting yesterday.
Shortly after, Brooks, who had savagely pulled Paul for six into the Garfield Sobers Pavilion at long-on, was caught down the leg side by Singh, sweeping at left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.
When Jonathan Carter was taken behind by Singh off Paul for 20 at 172 for four with an hour’s play still remaining and a minimum of 14 overs, the Jaguars had an outside chance of victory.
But they were left to rue a no-ball from Paul which certainly would’ve had Chase leg before wicket when he was six.
Chase, who made 23 not out in 88 minutes and wicket-keeper Shane Dowrich with 17 not out in 54 minutes, ensured there wasn’t any late alarms by batting out the rest of the afternoon before play was called off.
Earlier, resuming from 154 for four overnight, the Jaguars, led by Bramble, who quickly knocked Jomel Warrican out of the attack with sixes over long-off and long-on off consecutive balls as the left-arm spinner conceded 22 runs in two overs
He also clouted off-spinner Roston Chase straight over head and over square leg for sixes before falling to the part-time medium pace of Carter.
After his departure, Chanderpaul brought up his century in style, smashing a juicy full toss from Carter and pulling the next ball savagely through forward square-leg for consecutive fours.
Teenage pacer Chemar Holder finished with three for 73 in 23 overs to complete an eight-wicket match haul on his first-class debut and earn the Man-of-the-Match award. (EZS)
