Perez & Nandu half-centuries hand Savory’s XI a 214-run lead
After spinners Anthony Adams (4/15) and Junior Sinclair (4/26) condemned Kevlon Anderson and his men to 97 all-out in just about two sessions on Tuesday, openers Raymond Perez and Matthew Nandu stroked brilliant half-centuries yesterday to put Kemol Savory’s XI firmly in charge with a 214-run first innings lead.
By stumps on day two of the second Guyana Harpy Eagles trial match at the Meten-Meer-Zorg Community Ground, Savory’s XI were 311/9 from 82 overs thanks to Perez’s and Nandu’s marathon 173-run opening stand.
Batting in bright conditions, Perez narrowly missed out on a century after batting the entire morning session and almost an hour after lunch. He was out caught to Veerasammy Permaul for a typically aggressive 93 which included eight fours and four sixes in an innings that spanned well over three hours.
Perez was the hammer, while Nandu who made 82, was the anvil as the duo ground out the Anderson XI’s attack. After Perez’s demise at 173/1, Nandu was run out just seven runs later to leave their side at 180/2. Nandu’s well composed 82 was a picture of concentration and saw the left-hander hitting six fours and two sixes.
From 180/2, Savory’s XI lost wickets at regular intervals; Seamer Malcolm Hubbard’s double strike saw Ushardeva
Balgobin (6) out caught while skipper Kemol Savory was also dismissed via the same route for a duck. Veteran spinner Permaul then removed Zeynul Ramsammy (14) and Quentin Sampson (11) before leg spinner Steven Sankar trapped Junior Sinclair for 10.
At 238/7, it looked like the Anderson’s XI bowlers would make light work of the tailenders but that presumption was extinguished by a valuable 64-run partnership between Guyana U-19 captain Jonathan Van Lange and experienced all-rounder Clinton Pestano.
By the time Van Lange fell for a fighting 38 (caught off the bowling of Richie Looknauth), the sting had been taken out of the bowling side. Pestano followed soon after LBW to Nial Smith for 43 to leave their side at 307/9 and by stumps, Anthony Adams (1 not out) and Taddeus Lovell (3) had survived to lead their side to 311/9.
Permaul led the way for the bowling side with 3/80 (21 overs, 4 maidens) while Hubbard had 2/12 (5 overs) with Sankar, Smith and Looknauth grabbing a wicket each.
Providing the weather remains the same, play will resume today at 9:30 am with Anderson’s XI looking to wrap up Savory’s XI first innings quickly before putting in some work of their own with the bat even though overhauling a lead of 214 is a tall task.