Loose batting hurts Red Force

The Red Force were dismissed for a dismal 202 batting first, before the Jaguars closed on 38 for one in reply. The return of Jason Mohammed and Evin Lewis did not help the Red Force as old habits returned to spoil their day.

Lewis fell for 22 and Mohammed lost his wicket for 11. Both were both part of the West Indies team in the recently concluded One Day International series against England.

TT were relatively comfortably poised at lunch on 62/1, with only Lewis losing his wicket.

Left-handed Isaiah Rajah played positively after the break, hitting a few boundaries. Hope, who scored a century in the last round against the Windward Islands Volcanoes, got into the action, cracking spin bowler Devendra Bishoo for four through the covers.

Hope, who never looked convincing at the crease, was caught by Shimron Hetmyer in the slips for 23 off Raymon Reifer with the score on 81.

Mohammed showed aggression when he came to the middle, however, that aggression led to his demise as he could only find the edge to wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble off Bishoo after attempting an expansive drive.

Rajah also gave his wicket away, caught at long on off Bishoo’s bowling for 41. Imran Khan and Yannic Cariah then fought valiantly to rescue the Red Force innings with a 61-run fifth wicket partnership with Khan taking the attack to Guyana. Khan, though, was next to go, caught by Veerasammy Permaul off medium pacer Romario Shepherd for 36 off 58 deliveries with seven fours. Cariah became Shepherd’s next victim, pouched for 33 by Permaul attempting a pull shot to leave TT on 177/6.

TT wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo, who scored a half century in the last round, entertained the small crowd but his knock of 20 could only get TT to 202. Bryan Charles was the last batsmen dismissed, hitting one straight to mid on off Permaul. Nine of the 10 TT batsmen dismissed were out caught. Reifer finished as the top bowler, snatching 3/48 in 15 overs, while Shepherd (2/36), Permaul (2/59) and Bishoo (2/46) all took two wickets.

SCOREBOARD
Red Force vs Guyana Jaguars
TT Red Force 1st inns
K Hope c Hetmyer b Reifer ................23
E Lewis c Fudadin b Paul ...................22
I Rajah c Singh b Bishoo ....................41
J Mohammed c +Bramble b Bishoo ...11
Y Cariah c Permaul b Shepherd .........33
I Khan c Permaul b Shepherd ............36
S Katwaroo c Johnson b Reifer ..........20
K Pierre c Hetmyer b Permaul..............1
M Richards b Reifer ..............................7
B Charles c G Moti-Kanhai b Permaul .0
A Phillip not out .....................................0
EXTRAS: (B2, 4LB, 2NB) ....................8
TOTAL: (all out) ................................202
Fall of Wickets: 34, 81, 94, 111, 172,
177, 192, 197, 202, 202
BOWLING: Shepherd 16.2-8-36-2; Reifer
15-4-48-3; Permaul 23.1-5-59-2; Paul
5.4-3-7-1; Bishoo 16-4-46-2
Guyana Jaguars lst inns
S Hetmyer c Pierre b Charles.............15
R Chandrika not out ...........................12
D Bishoo not out ...................................6
EXTRAS: (B4, NB1) .............................5
TOTAL: (for one wicket) .....................38
Fall of Wicket: 27
Still to Bat: L Johnson, A Fudadin, R
Shepherd, V Singh, G Moti-Kanhai, R
Reifer, V Permaul, A Bramble
BOWLING: Richards 5-2-12-0; Phillip
3-017-0; Charles 2-0-5-1