Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul finished with a 10-wicket match haul as Guyana Jaguars continued their imperious march through the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League (PCL) with a resounding five-wicket win over Jamaica Franchise yesterday.
Chasing a moderate 161 for victory, Guyana eased to their target late on the third day of the eighth-round fixture, to complete their fifth straight win of the tournament.
Captain Leon Johnson stroked 58 and Vishaul Singh, 57, while Chris Barnwell finished on 21 not out.
bundled out for 138
Permaul had earlier claimed five for 33 as Jamaica, starting the day on 22 for one, were bundled out for 138 at the National Stadium here.
He was supported by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who picked up four for 22 to end with an eight-wicket match haul.
Permaul finished with match figures of 10 for 110.
Not for the first time this season, Jamaica's batting struggled, and only Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, with a top score of 47, and opener John Campbell, with 28, showed any enterprise.
They put on 77 for the second wicket to lift Jamaica to 78 for one at one stage, but once they were separated, the last nine wickets crashed for 50 runs.
Blackwood's innings was a breezy one, requiring just 57 balls, including five fours and a six, while Campbell struck four fours off 53 balls in 79 minutes at the crease.
victory target
In pursuit of their victory target, Guyana slipped to 42 for three after fast bowler Jason Dawes, who finished with three for 24, made two early strikes.
However, Johnson and Vishaul Singh stroked half-centuries in a crucial 89-run, fourth-wicket stand which put Guyana on the brink of victory.
Johnson hit five fours off 95 balls in 160 minutes at the crease, while Vishaul faced 147 deliveries in 158 minutes and counted six fours.
By the time Dawes returned to claim Vishaul to a catch at the wicket at 131 for four, Jaguars already had victory well within their grasp.
Barbados Pride win
Meanwhile, Barbados Pride kept up the pressure on leaders Guyana Jaguars when they crushed bottom-of-the-table Leeward Islands Hurricanes by nine wickets inside three days here yesterday, courtesy of a 13-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.
Resuming their eighth-round contest on 268 for six, Barbados were bowled out for 353 in their first innings, with Shane Dowrich striking his third first-class century with 106.
With a lead of 138, Barbados ripped through the Leewards' second innings, reducing them to 22 for four at one stage, before dismissing them for 150. Warrican was the main destroyer with five for 50, to follow up his first innings haul of eight for 88. He finished with a match haul of 13 wickets for 138 runs.
Set a meagre 13 runs for victory, the visitors lost Kyle Corbin lbw to seamer Quinton Boatswain for five, before securing victory an hour after tea at Warner Park.
The Jamaica franchise this year has been really poor and at this point any and every team seems to be beating them in 3 days. Jamaica will come better next year I am sure because they can't get any lower than this.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Front-runners Guyana Jaguars will attempt to put themselves firmly out of the reach of title-chasers Windward Islands Volcanoes and Barbados Pride in their bid for an overdue first class title when the WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) resumes today.The Jaguars are at home at the national stadium to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and will be seeking to inflict further hardship on them to virtually sew up the title.
The home team romped to their seventh victory for the season last week and a huge haul of points, including victory against Red Force, will keep them out of the reach of the Pride and the Volcanoes.
The Jaguars are unchanged, but the Red Force made three adjustments to their squad, bringing West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, as well the uncapped pair of Bryan Charles and Mark Deyal in to replace Akeal Hosein, Kieron Pollard and Daniel St Clair.
The key match plays out in Bridgetown between Pride and Volcanoes who are separated by only two points.
The two sides enter the game at Kensington Oval on a high, following confident victories in the previous round.
Pride and Volcanoes both require a huge haul of points including a victory to stand any chance of a late grab for the title.
Both sides have swapped out one player each: Justin Greaves steps in to replace the injured Carlos Brathwaite and Keddy Lesporis regains a place after a last-minute withdrawal in the previous round, ahead of Craig Emmanuel.
In Basseterre, St Kitts, another keen battle could shape up, when the Hurricanes meet the Jamaica Franchise at Warner Park.
Both sides will be low on confidence, following defeat in the previous round, with the Franchisers crumbling to a fourth straight loss and the Hurricanes slumping to an unenviable eighth straight defeat inside three days.
The Franchisers travelled with an unchanged squad from the previous round, but the Hurricanes have brought back all-rounder Orlando Peters for leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr.
