DEPENDBLE West Indies middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul struck his second half-century in the Cricket Guyana Inc. four-day practice match yesterday for Leon Johnson’s XI, to set up an interesting final day’s play against Vishaul Singh’s XI at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.
Resuming the day on 73 for 2, with Rajendra Chandrika on 52 and Narsingh Deonarine 8, Johnson’s XI declared their second innings closed at 287 for 8 off 84.2 overs, when the 40-year-old Chanderpaul was trapped lbw by Anthony Adams, for a lead of 333.
Set 334 for victory, Singh’s XI closed the penultimate day’s play on 29 without loss, with Kandasammy Surujnarine on 14 (1×4) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul 13, which included a sweetly timed drive square of the wicket off Keon Joseph, one of his two fours.
Earlier in the day, Chandrika and Deonarine were not allowed to build on their overnight partnership which had accrued 40 runs at the close of play on the second day, as they only added 12 before Chandrika 55 (90 balls, 10×4) was caught by Shimron Hetmyer off Steven Jacobs who finished with 3 for 56.
Deonarine and Chandrapaul Hemraj pushed the score to 125, before Deonarine, who faced 97 balls and struck three fours in is 36, was dismissed and he was followed 12 runs later by Hemraj for 25, at 137 for 5.
Christopher Barnwell 19 (2×4) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul posted 43 for the sixth wicket before Barnwell succumbed via run-out at 180 for 6, allowing first-innings top-scorer Jonathan Foo (20) to join the elder Chanderpaul and add 60 for the seventh wicket.
The 40-year-old Chanderpaul’s innings spanned 121 balls and was decorated with five fours, including three sixes – two of them in one over off Adams – before he lost Foo and later added 47 for the eighth wicket with Anthony Bramble who made an unbeaten 38 (46 balls, 3×4, 1×6).
Johnson’s XI declared their second innings closed when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was lbw to Adams, but not before he struck Amir Khan for his third six. Jacobs ended with 3 for 56 and Khan 2 for 62 for Singh’s XI, who will need 305 more to record a come-from-behind win when the action continues today.