NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) – Spin twins Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo wrecked English County Kent, to propel Guyana Jaguars to a comfortable 35-run victory in their opening Group B match of the Regional Super50 here yesterday.
Defending a seemingly inadequate 233 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Jaguars appeared en route to defeat with Kent cruising on 119 for one in the 28th over.
But Permaul snatched four for 46 and leg-spinner Bishoo, three for 34, to scythe through the innings and send Kent crashing for 198 all out in the 47th over.
Zak Crawley top-scored with 60 while Sean Dickson got 29 and Daniel Bell-Drummond, 28, but the remainder of the batting failed to come to terms with the Jaguars’ attack.
Earlier, veteran former West Indies star, Shiv Chanderpaul, stroked 67 at the top of the order and got support from wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble who made 39, as Jaguars were bowled out for 233 off 49 overs.
Tail-ender Romario Shepherd chipped in with 29 and Sherfane Rutherford, 24, as Jaguars recovered from a sloppy start, rebuilt, before scrambling for runs in the dying stages.
Fast bowler Mitchell Claydon was the best bowler with five for 31 while fellow seamer Will Gidman (2-37) and off-spinner Ian Thomas (2-62) claimed wickets too.
Opting to bat first, Jaguars were quickly in trouble when they lost Test batsman Shimron Hetmyer (19), Chandrapaul Hemraj (0) and captain Leon Johnson (0) to decline to 33 for three in the seventh over.
Chanderpaul, opening the batting, then patched up the innings in two successive half-century stands. He first put on 56 for the fourth wicket with West Indies all-rounder Raymon Reifer (16) before adding a further 58 for the fifth with Bramble.
The 43-year-old Chanderpaul struck five fours and a six off 97 balls while Bramble produced a 34-ball cameo with three fours and two sixes.
Both, however, were part of a slide that saw three wickets tumble for 30 runs in 40 balls and it was left to Shepherd and Rutherford to provide the late flourish for Jaguars in a 38-run, eighth-wicket partnership.
Kent, in reply, started positively, with the 19-year-old Crawley energising two consecutive half-century stands to put the overseas side in command.
The right-hander faced 73 balls and counted four fours, adding 58 with Bell-Drummond for the first wicket and another 61 with Sean Dickson (29).
With the game slipping away, Permaul got the breakthrough when he removed Dickson in the 28th over and when Bishoo claimed Crawley and wicketkeeper Adam Rouse (0) in successive deliveries in the 31st, Jaguars were back in the contest.
Stumbling on 129 for four, Kent never recovered as Bishoo had captain Will Gidman caught and bowled for 16 and trapped Alex Blake lbw for nine.
Fast bowler Romario Shepherd also chipped in with a brace of wickets, and Permaul weighed in, to accelerate the decline.
