A penetrative spell of left-arm spin bowling by Chanderpaul Hemraj orchestrated a batting collapse by Republic Bank St Catherine as Carlton earned maximum bowling points yesterday.
Hemraj, a member of the Sagicor High Performance Centre, took seven for 48 off 17.5 overs as St Catherine hobbled to 147 all out off 48.5 overs, after being invited to bat when play started at 12:45 p.m., following a complete washout on Saturday’s opening day.
In 16 overs before the close, Carlton reached 27 for two.
Off-spinner Marlon Graham made the initial strike, removing opener Chad Puckerin for a duck. Keon Harding then dismissed Shamar Cooke for 18 but Hermraj took over thereafter as the home side lost wickets at regular intervals.
Opener Renaldo Kellman, showing unusual patience in a stubborn knock of 27 tapped a return catch back to the Guyanese all-rounder while Joel Leacock fell by the lbw route.
Between the two dismissals, Graham induced an edge from the bat of Patrick Browne that was smartly caught at slip by Alex Bridgeman.Â
Tea offered temporary respite with the score 98 for five but Hemraj sliced through the second half of the innings in a dramatic collapse that continued after the interval.
Kenroy Williams, unbeaten at tea on 20, eventually lifted a catch to Carlo Morris on the mid-wicket boundary having made 34 off 46 balls with four boundaries.
St Catherine hit back immediately when pacer Ulric Batson had Vonrick Nurse caught at the wicket by Steven Katwaroo for a duck in the first over.
When Derick Bishop swooped low to his right at second slip to catch Kirk Gibson off Leacock, Carlton had slipped to three for two but Hemraj (five not out) and opener Shayne Moseley (19 not out) helped the visitors avoid any further alarms before bad light ended play at 5:43 p.m.
