2018-19 West Indies Championship Reifer grabs 5-20 as Barbados Pride falls for lowest total in Guyana

Mar 01, 2019 Sports

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Story and photos by Sean Devers
A sixth five-wicket haul from left-arm pacer Raymon Reifer sent his Countymen crashing to 76 all out on the opening day of Guyana Jaguars’ penultimate round match on a slow Providence track with a tinge of grass yesterday.
This was Barbados’ lowest total in Guyana, and third lowest overall after their 58 in Barbados in 2012 and 64 against the Windwards also in Barbados in 2013 as only tail-ender Chemar Holder 22 (3×4) and Rashidi Boucher 17 (4×4) from 27 balls) reached double figures.

The fourth first-class cricketer from a family that includes former Test captain Floyd Reifer, the 27-year-old sliced through the Bajan batting order to finish with 5-20. Reifer got support from fellow seamer Christopher Barnwell who captured 2-26 while Romario Shepherd, Sherfane Rutherford, and left-arm spinner Veerasammy picked up a wicket each to earn the South American Franchise 4.5 bowling points including 1.5 fast bowling points.
Barbados were dismissed in just 29.1 overs at lunch which was extended by 17 minutes. But by the close the Jaguars, were again let them down by their top order and reached 162-7 with a lead of 86 after being 98-6 at one stage.
Vishaul Singh made 33 from 72 balls, 95 minutes with four boundaries batting at number three while Reifer is unbeaten 33 from 75 balls with five fours. Anthony Bramble, Jaguars’ leading run scorer with 475 runs, chipped with 23 from 21 balls and 26 minutes; reaching the boundary five times while Tagenarine Chanderpaul who again struggled find the gaps made 19 from 99 balls, 115 minutes and reached the ropes twice.
Johnathon Carter has so far picked up 3-45 while Miguel Cummins has 2-39 on a day in which 17 wickets tumbled. The Bajans elected to bat in sunny conditions and quickly lost Shane Moseley (2) when the left-hander played back to one that ‘nipped’ back from Reifer and trapped in front at 15-1.
Boucher stroked Romario Shepherd for four in the day’s third over before hitting the Berbician for two more boundaries in his next over before he was caught on the back foot and was LBW to Reifer for 17, 32 minutes into the day’s proceedings with the score on 21-2.

Two runs later Skipper Shamarh Brooks (1) was caught down the leg side trying to tuck one off his hip from Shepherd, and without addition to the score, Carter, the only Bajan with 400 runs this season, edged at a catch to the Keeper as Reifer struck again.
The left-handed Carter (7) was twice beaten in the over with balls that left and was tested with a short ball as Reifer bent his back on the slow track despite the grass, before orchestrating his demise with a beauty.
Aaron Jones (4) drove at a wide ball from the impressive Reifer and was well taken at third slip by Jamaican off-spinner Ramaal Lewis playing his first game for the season, to leave the Bajans on 28-5.
Barnwell struck twice by removing Shamar Springer (8) and Tevyn Walcott (8) as the visitors slumped to 44-7. And when Sherfane Rutherford induced Jomal Warrican (0) to provide Bramble with his fifth catch to take his dismissals tally to 37, Barbados were 44-8 and in danger of falling for their lowest total.
Marquino Mindley (5) steered Reifer to Singh at gully at 50-9 but Holder struck Barnwell for back-to-back boundaries before smashing him for four more in his next with Cummins joining in the late order resistance with a boundary in the same over as the last pair added 26 valuable runs.

Permaul bowled Holder with his first ball of the match to leave Cummings unbeaten on five. When the Jaguars began their reply Chanderpaul Hemraj (9) got going with a boundary with the score on 11, had his stumps scattered by Cummings.
Singh joined the subdued Chanderpaul and batted responsibly with the diminutive Singh batting with a positive but not reckless manner. Together they took their team to 68 before Chanderpaul was caught behind off a good ball from Carter before Singh, just when he looking set for a big score, was caught down the leg side, flicking at Carter at 73-3.
The Jaguars soon slipped to 78-5 when Leon Johnson’s failures continued when he pushed forward to one from Cummings and was caught behind for one while Barnwell (2) tried to flick Carter forward of square on the leg-side and was taken at slip at 78-5.
Bramble came out in a pugnacious mood and clobbered five fours from 21 balls but after missing a couple of wild swipes, he was LBW for a cameo 23 at 98-6. The level headed Reifer and Rutherford carried the score to 140 but when their partnership was beginning to flourish the left-handed Rutherford (15) with 2×4 drove powerfully at a wide ball from Springer and the edge flew to Carter to second slip who held a stupendous left-handed catch with ball almost past him.
Reifer continued to bat well and his shot selection was impeccable as he picked the balls to hit and along with Shepherd (7) saw the Jaguars to the close. An intriguing second day is anticipated in what could be an exciting low scoring encounter and the action commence at 10:00hrs today.

 

 

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