Red Force melt as Jaguars take charge

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Another batting meltdown left Trinidad and Tobago Red Force with a plethora of questions to answer as they ensured another disappointing day in the Regional Four-Day Championship here Friday.

Opting to bat first at the Guyana National Stadium, the visitors failed to capitalise and were dismissed for a paltry 162 in their first innings on a rain-hit opening day of the fifth round contest.

Fast bowler Roshon Primus continued to press his claim as a genuine all-rounder with a top score of 42 while wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo got 24.

However, they were the only two to pass 20 as Red Force struggled from the outset to find consistency.

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul finished with four for 30 while left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer picked up three for 34.

Medium pacer Chris Barnwell finished with two for 20.

In reply, Jaguars were nine without loss when rain ended play prematurely.

Entering the latest round of games dead bottom of the pile and needing a strong performance to turn their form around, Red Force never found their rhythm and lost wickets steadily after play started 80 minutes late due to rain.

Reifer bowled in-form opener Kyle Hope for 16 in the morning’s 10th over and Barnwell had the other opener, Imran Khan, caught at mid-wicket in the following over for seven, before rain forced an early lunch at 28 for two.

On the resumption, Red Force slumped to 63 for five before two partnerships helped them avoid embarrassment.

Primus, who struck seven fours off 66 deliveries, put on 36 for the seventh wicket with captain Yannick Ottley who made 15 before Katwaroo and Khary Pierre (17) added a further 33 for the eighth wicket.

In his debut first class season, the right-handed Primus has been good enough to gather a half-century, an unbeaten 42 and 36, in six outings so far.

199/3

200! Shiv gets an easy single to cover off Jagessar to move to 65 Johnson 52 Jaguars 200/3 (53.1)