Fast bowler Jayden Seales picked the perfect time to score his maiden first-class half-century, with his effort saving Trinidad and Tobago Red Force from being skittled out by the Guyana Harpy Eagles on the opening day of the West Indies Championship final here on Sunday.
Seales stroked an unbeaten 63 off 71 balls, and together with fellow pacer Anderson Phillip shared an unbroken partnership of 78 runs for the last wicket that helped T&T end the day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on 240 for nine from 62 overs.
Unfortunately, though, the day was marred by an embarrassing delay that led to just over two and a half hours of play being lost after umpires Carl Tuckett and Deighton Butler were forced to suspend play four balls into the match due to unsatisfactory pitch conditions.
The decision came after the fourth ball sent down by pacer Nial Smith to T&T opening batsman Cephas Cooper produced a tennis ball bounce and sent a piece of the pitch flying in the process.
Cooper immediately raised concern about the state of the pitch following the delivery and following a brief discussion with the head groundsman, the umpires opted to suspend play until an inspection was conducted.
Play subsequently resumed around 12:30 p.m. after an inspection was completed and the green light given for the match to continue.
Guyana reaped success almost immediately when Keemo Paul had Evin Lewis caught for a duck without a run on the board.
Cooper and Jyd Goolie put on 47 runs for the second wicket, but once Shamar Joseph removed the former for a patient 18 off 70 balls, T&T’s innings collapsed.
Paul accounted for the wicket of the struggling Jason Mohammed for 14, and Smith dismissed Goolie (26) and captain Joshua Da Silva for a duck in successive deliveries, to leave T&T in tatters at 73 for five.
Things then went from bad to worse when Amir Jangoo became Smith’s third scalp to make the score 84 for six.
T&T’s lower order came to their rescue, however, with Terrance Hinds and Khary Pierre adding an invaluable 40 runs for the seventh wicket.
When left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie broke the partnership by having Hinds caught for 29, Pierre added a further 32 runs with Joshua James.
Their innings seemed to be all but over when veteran spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed Pierre’s wicket for 40 and Motie trapped James lbw for 14 to see T&T descend to 162 for nine.
However, it was not to be, as Seales and Phillip defied Guyana’s bowlers during their partnership that has lasted just over an hour.
Playing in his 56th first-class match, Seales romped to his first half-century, while Phillip has so far scored 15 off 46 balls, with their efforts getting T&T up to a decent total,
Smith has been Guyana’s best bowler so far with 3-51, while Paul (2-16,) and Motie (2-45) have taken two wickets. (CMC)
