TEMPERAMENTAL middle-order batsman Jonathan missed scoring a century yesterday for Johnson’s XI who faced Singh’s XI in their practice encounter at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, as part of their preparation phase for this year’s upcoming West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League.
Winning the toss and batting first on a track which had some moisture in it, Johnson’s XI slipped to 22 for 4 within the first hour as they lost Rajendra Chandrika (1), Robin Bacchus (0), Narsingh Deonarine (1) and Trevon Griffith (17) to the bowling of Jeremy Gordon and Raun Johnson.
Forty-year-old dependable Guyana and West Indies middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul 52 (4×4, 1×6) and Christopher Barnwell 27 (2×4) brought some respectability to their team’s total with their 60-run fifth-wicket partnership, before Barnwell was removed by Gordon, courtesy of a Royston Crandon’s catch.
The elder Chanderpaul, then added an additional 42 for the sixth wicket with Foo, realising his half-century from 104 balls with four fours and a six over mid-on off Anthony Adams, before Crandon held another catch to account for the left-handed Chanderpaul, this time off Steven Jacobs.
Foo, who mixed sound defence with aggression to hit Amir Khan for a hat-trick of sixes, was joined by the in-form Anthony Bramble who failed to get going this time around and was stumped by Jason Sinclair off Khan at 128 for 7.
It was a wicket that brought joy to Singh’s XI that was being led by Vishaul Singh and at the same time sorrow, as Foo and his Albion Cricket Club teammate Veerasammy Permaul resisted their bowling efforts to post 93 for the eighth wicket.
Permaul struck five fours in his 24, even as Foo continued after taking 89 balls to post his half-century that was decorated with three fours and the same number of sixes, celebrating after with two audacious drives through extra cover off Johnson, midway the afternoon session.
Foo lost both Permaul and Kemol Savory (0) at 221 for 9 but in tandem with Paul Wintz who was unbeaten on 10 (1×4), pushed the score to 240 before he (Foo) was the last man out, caught at deep cover by Anthony Adams off Kemo Paul for 85 (131 balls, 8×4, 3×6).
Gordon, a Canada-based Guyanese finished with 4 for 41 and Adams 2 for 38, while there was a wicket each for Jacobs, Paul, Khan and Johnson bowling for Singh’s XI who at the close of play were 16 without loss.
Deonarine grassed an outside edge off the bat of Kandasammy Surujnarine (2) off the bowling of Wintz at 15 for 1 in the penultimate over of the day, while at the other end, Tagenarine Chanderpaul is unbeaten on 9, heading into the second day’s play when the action commences at 09:30hrs.
