JAGUARS TIGHTEN GRIP AFTER SINGH’S HUNDRED, RECORD STAND

Hurricanes stage late fight-back against Scorpions, Volcanoes stumble against Pride

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Vishaul Singh hit his second hundred of the season and shared a record stand with fellow left-handed century-maker Leon Johnson to help Guyana Jaguars build a massive first innings total against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in their key Digicel 4-Day Championship match on Friday.

But Red Force openers, Windies batsman Kyle Hope and former Windies Under-19 player Amir Jangoo, gave their side a strong start to their reply on the second day of their top-of-the-table, day/night, fourth-round battle at the Brian Lara Cricket Ground.

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At Warner Park, a defiant, half-century stand between Windies “A” Team all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall and rookie Terence Warde led a late recovery Leeward Islands Hurricanes, after Jamaica Scorpions captain and champion left-arm spinner Nikita Miller undermined their middle order.

And, a couple of late wickets for Test left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican tilted the balance Barbados Pride’s way against Windward Islands’ Volcanoes at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.

Jaguars (484-8 dec) vs Red Force 51-0 in Tarouba, Trinidad

Jangoo was not out on 32 and Hope was not out on 18, as they batted through 19 overs in an hour-and-a-half before stumps were drawn to give Red Force a strong start to their reply.

Singh made an even 100 – his eighth first-class hundred – to become the second century-maker of the innings behind Johnson, whose 165 helped to propel Jaguars to a declaration just over an hour before the scheduled close.

Singh has reeled off scores of 119, 8 not out, 97 and 34 prior to this innings after he missed the first match of the season, due to his involvement with the Windies “A” Team in their three “Test” home series against Sri Lanka “A”.

He put on 183 with Johnson, establishing a new Jaguars third-wicket record against Red Force in the modern era of the West Indies first-class championship (1966 onwards) to eclipse the previous mark of 179 shared between legendary, former Windies captain Clive Lloyd and another former Windies batsman Len Baichan 44 years ago at Skeldon in Guyana.

Sophomore off-spinner Bryan Charles captured 5-134 from 43 overs to be the pick of the Red Force bowlers on an unresponsive pitch.

Scorpions (342) vs Hurricanes (209) in Basseterre, St. Kitts

Cornwall followed up a typically steady bowling effort with a resolute batting to reach 28 not out and Warde was not out on 21, as they helped their side recover from a mid-innings crisis triggered by Miller.

The pair has so far shared 59 – unbroken – for the seventh wicket to stabilize the Hurricanes’ innings, after Miller, playing his first match of the season, grabbed 3-56 from 27 overs to leave the home team wobbling on 150 for six.

Hurricanes had failed to build on a half-century opening stand between Windies “A” Team opener Montcin Hodge and rugged, former Kent left-hander Chesney Hughes, losing wickets at regular intervals to undermine their bid for a strong reply.

Hodge has led the way for the Hurricanes with an even 50, Devon Thomas and Jamaica-born Nkrumah Bonner both made 33, and Hughes supported with 20.

This followed token resistance from the Scorpions before they were bowled out in their first innings with Paul Palmer, their captain for the first three matches in Miller’s absence, leading the way with 86.

Cornwall was the most successful Hurricanes bowler, taking 4-86 from 29.3 overs, and there were two wickets apiece for Jeremiah Louis and Sheeno Berridge.

Pride (360) vs Volcanoes 151-5 in Kingstown, St. Vincent

Warrican struck twice in as many balls, knocking over two players with whom he is very familiar to put the Volcanoes on the back foot.

The home team were in good shape on 89 for two, but Warrican removed Barbados-based batsman Kavem Hodge for 38 and former Pride captain Kirk Edwards without scoring in successive deliveries.

But Roland Cato, not out 47, and Barbadian Kyle Mayers, not out on 21, batted through almost an hour to carry the Volcanoes through to stumps.

Earlier, Pride were dismissed about 40 minutes after lunch, after resuming from their overnight 273 for five.

All-rounder Kevin Stoute hit the top score of 84 and his clubmate Justin Greaves carved out 54 in a valuable 91-run, sixth-wicket stand.

Volcanoes captain Tyrone Theophile captured a career-best 5-56 from 23 overs with his part-time off-spin to be the unlikely bowling hero for his side and Test off-spinner Shane Shillingford supported with 3-102 from 45 overs.