Boundary-hitting Bramble leads Jaguars’ charge
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ball to Devon Smith at a conventional first slip off of Josh Thomas and ending his 189-minute stay at the wicket on 168.
At the end of play, Johnson said he thought the day was a good one for the Jaguars. “Knowing the conditions here is not one where you would score three runs an over but finishing over 300 after being in a spot of bother at 27-2, the partnership with Tage [Tagenarine Chanderpaul] and Anthony [Bramble] really set us in good stride. Obviously Bramble is in good form and we capitalised on it,” the skipper said.
“I think we gave a bit back to the Windwards especially with the run out and we really have to put it right and being 310-5 would have been good,” Johnson added.
Meanwhile, Volcanoes’ vice-captain Ronald Cato said, “I would say it is (an) even day’s play and the wicket is an even one, not much spinning or staying low and the ball coming on nicely.”
Earlier, the Jaguars, with four changes from their last match saw Trevon Griffith opening with Tagenarine Chanderpaul to start the day’s proceedings.
Griffith looked his usual flamboyant self with a boundary through the covers early on. The 27-yearold then chased a wide delivery, chopping it down to the fine leg boundary for his second four only to be undone with a beautiful outswinging delivery that shaped away with a bit of lift from Josh Thomas as he departed for 14.
Johnson didn’t last too long at the crease, attempting to drive only to pick out Hodge at gully for five.
Nevertheless, West Indies test player, Hetmyer came to the crease reviving the minor collapse to add 26 runs in a third wicket stand of 44 with Chanderpaul seeing them off to lunch on 71-2.
Soon after, the Indian Premier League-bound Hetmyer departed after playing a loose cut to Devon Smith at first slip for 26 from 43 balls including triple boundaries.
With Bramble going all guns blazing, Chanderpaul was steadily building his indelible stay at the crease, selecting the odd single but nevertheless notching up his eighth half century with a push through square leg for two and bring up his 50 from 233 balls, hitting two boundaries along the way.
Bramble’s departure triggered three quick wickets with Sherfane Rutherford edging Thomas into the hands of the wicketkeeper two balls later and Keemo Paul departing for three via run out.
Chanderpaul saw the day off, remaining unbeaten on 73 while Romario Shepherd is at the crease on five not out.
Thomas closed on 3-63 from 17 overs while Jordan and Shermon Lewis picked up one wicket each. Toss: Guyana Jaguars and elected to bat Guyana Jaguars 1st innings T. Chanderpaul not out T. Griffith c. Denis Smith+ b. Thomas *L. Johnson c. Hodge b. Lewis S. Hetmyer c. Devon Smith b. Jordan +A. Bramble c. Devon Smith b. Thomas S. Rutherford c. Denis Smith+ b. Thomas K. Paul run out R. Shepherd not out Extras: Total: (90 overs) Yet to bat: G. Motie, C. Pestano, V. Permaul Fall of wickets: 22-1 (Griffith 7.4 ov), 27-2 (Johnson 8.4 ov), 71-3 (Hetmyer 26.3 ov), 280-4 (Bramble 78.1 ov), 280-5 (Rutherford 78.3 ov), 6-290 (Paul 81.3 ov) Bowling: Lewis (16-4-57-1), Thomas (17-2-63-3), Jordan (14-2-41-1), Edwards (257-59-0), Hodge (15-2-64-0), Athanaze (3-0-21-0) 71 14 5 26 168 0 3 5 15 307-6