ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Veerasammy Permaul became the first bowler to top the 20-wicket mark this season and helped current leaders Guyana Jaguars get the early edge over Jamaica Scorpions in the 2019-20 West Indies Championship on Thursday.

The diminutive left-arm spinner defied a resolute half-century from Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, who brought up a personal landmark, and led the destruction of the Scorpions batting on the first day of fourth round matches in the Championship.

Webcasts of matches are available on the Windies YouTube Channel and you can subscribe to receive pre-play alerts

Former captain Jason Mohammed and newly-appointed captain Yannick Ottley were eyeing hundreds and led a strong start for Trinidad & Tobago Red Force against Windward Islands Volcanoes.

And, an overnight break-in at the players’ pavilion at Warner Park has been delayed the start of the match between hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes and visiting team Barbados Pride by one day.

Scorpions (187) vs Jaguars 17-0 at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, Guyana

Permaul ended with the miserly figures of 4-34 from 21.5 overs to reach the season milestone before the Scorpions were bowled out in the final hour before the close.

Blackwood was the backbone of the Scorpions batting with 81, which carried him past 3,000 runs in the Championship,, and Nkrumah Bonner added 29, but no other batsman reached 20, after the visitors chose to bat. (NOTE: Blackwood now has 3,023 Championship runs).

Scorpions lost their captain and West Indies Test opener John Campbell and his Guyanese opening partner Assad Fudadin inside the first hour and were eight for two.

Blackwood anchored three partnerships, including 74 for the fourth wicket with Bonner, to add some beef to the total.

Scorpions were 164 for four, when Permaul bowled Blackwood in the first hour after tea, triggering a collapse in which six wickets fell for 23 in the space of 75 balls.

Pacers Nial Smith and Christopher Barnwell supported Permaul with two wickets apiece.

Jaguars openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul, not out on four, and Chandrapaul Hemraj, not out on 13, then safely navigated half-hour before stumps were drawn.

Scorecard

Hurricances vs Pride at Warner Park in Basseterre, St. Kitts

This match will now start on Friday and is not expected to have any significant impact on the ongoing series of matches across the Caribbean

The Hurricanes and the St. Kitts Cricket Association have confirmed to Cricket West Indies that local police are investigating the matter and that all necessary steps are being taken to mitigate against such a situation recurring.

Red Force 232-2 vs Volcanoes at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica

Mohammed was unbeaten on 85 and Ottley was not out on 84, sharing 167 – unbroken – for the third wicket, after Red Force were sent into bat.

Red Force were launched by a 57-run opening stand between Jeremy Solozano and Joshua da Silva.

The visitors were 65 for two, when they fell within eight balls of each other to left-arm pacer Preston McSween for 20 and fellow pacer Josh Thomas for 35 respectively.

For the remainder of the day, Volcanoes endured the long, hard grind with Mohammed and Ottley, getting a huge promotion up the order to three, dropping anchor to give Red Force the upper hand.

Source: CWI Media