Clarke Road close in on first innings points

Former Guyanese youth team batsman Homchand Pooran struck 38 and ex-Trinidad and Tobago left-hander Gregory Mahabir was unbeaten on 34 as Clarke Road were 97 runs for three wickets in response to PowerGen’s 121 at Wilson Road, Penal.

Leg-spinner Samuel Badree, a member of the national team who copped the Stanford Twenty20 title a week earlier, snapped up three wickets for 17 runs for Clarke Road.

PowerGen’s total was built around Varoon Samaroo’s 35 and Brent Harriott 23, but their batsmen all faltered against the bowling of Dane Teelucksingh (4/38), Sean Siloch (3/8) and former Windward Islands left-arm pacer Kenroy Peters (3/27).

Ceramic Merry Boys seems certain to take first innings points against W Connection Wanderers at Gilbert Park, California, in a game where spin has dominated proceedings.

MerryBoys were bundled out for 152 with former national youth team players Kenton Thompson (30), Aneil Kanhai (23) and Kyron Lynch (21) offering any resistance to the trio of ex- TT bowlers — leg-spinner Sanjiv Gooljar (4/65), pacer Theodore Modeste (2/19) and left-arm spinner Nicholas Ramjass (2/21).

Wanderers fared even worse at their turn at the crease, as Kanhai’s off-breaks resulted in six wickets for 26, while ex- Guyanese left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell took 2/33 as the hosts were tottering at 118/9. Clifton Halls made 30 and Joel Pamphille 17 in a pathetic batting display.

Hosts CLICO Preysal held a slight advantage over Queen’s Park at the Inshan Ali Park, Preysal.

Preysal, sent into bat, declared their first innings total on 206/7 with former Barbados and West Indies all-rounder Ryan Hurley posting 69 and ex-TT opener Andy Jackson slamming 53. Pace bowler Ricardo Paty took 3/40 for the Parkites.

Justin Guillen was dismissed by Kwesi Roy for 14 as Queen’s Park finished the day on 28/1, with Marlon Barclay and Darron Cruickshank at the wicket.

The Munroe Road-Alescon Comets contest was keenly poised, as former national opener Imran Khan enjoyed a fine all-round day for the visiting Comets’ outfit.

Khan copped four wickets and Magnum Nanan three as Munroe Road, the new entrant in the eight-team league (they won the Division Two category last year), were bowled out for 161, despite Aneil Mannah’s unbeaten 42 and Darry Balgobin 40. Comets closed the day on 80/3 with Khan posting 45.

In Division Two, British American Aranjuez Sports took first innings points against Superb Caterers Sports at Aranjuez, as they hold a lead of 57 runs. Couva were skittled out for 67 with Reyon Thomas claiming 5/24, Stephan Solomon 3/9 and Deepak Kumar 2/10, while Kelly Grant was the lone resistance for Couva with 18.

In response, Aranjuez were bowled out for 124 with Kumar top-scoring with 46, while M Ramlogan added 20. F Hosein (3/19) and F Jaipaul (2/40) were the main destroyers for Couva.

And Moosai Sports were struggling against hosts Ihsan Endeavour Sports at the Avidesh Samaroo Recreation Ground.

Dale Roopnarine took 3/6 as Moosai, replying to Endeavour’s 154, were in trouble at 15/3.

In the Endeavour innings, Jodhan Manohar notched 30, Narine Roopnarine 27 and Andy Gobin 23 but the batsmen were unable to cope with the combined spin of Marlon Bharath, who snared 7/64 and former national batsman Imran Jan 2/11.

All matches end today, with play in each game starting at 10 am.