Outplayed by Guyana on the opening day when they were dismissed for 187 and failed to take a wicket as Guyana closed on 67-0, the Leeward Islands fought back doggedly yesterday to concede a slim first innings lead of only eight runs then reached 149 runs for the loss of three second innings wickets at the close.
Skipper Sylvester Joseph is not out on 50 and Omari Banks on 26 as the Leewards reached 149-3 on a day when some 13 wickets fell for 344 runs at the Albion Community Development Centre ground.
Guyana, resuming on 67-0, replying to the Leewards’ 187 all out made heavy weather of the small target and plunged to 146-8 before a 33-run ninth wicket partnership between Esaun Crandon and Veerasammy Permaul brought them to within nine runs of their target which the last wicket pair of Crandon and Jeremy Gordon managed to get but not without some anxious moments.
Esaun Crandon was left not out on 32 while Permaul scored 12 and Gordon four as the last two wickets put on 49 priceless runs for the home team.
Guyana lost Royston Crandon with the first ball of play yesterday as the opener failed to add to his overnight score (27) being adjudged lbw to pacer Kerry Jeremy who ended with 4-48.
Sewnarine Chattergoon, who resumed on 26 not out, was dropped when on 29. Chattergoon went on to score a defiant 57 from 157 balls in 237 minutes with nine fours.
Jeremy’s partner Lionel Baker also grabbed four wickets but at a cost of 64 runs.
Baker trapped Travis Dowlin leg-before for 18 while Chaka Hodge, who had put down a difficult return catch off Narsingh Deonarine when the batsman was on eight made amends by dismissing the left-hander for 21 as the batsman played forward defensively only to see the ball roll back on to his stumps. Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan was the next wicket to fall. The West Indies middle order batsman got a nasty rising delivery from Baker and was caught by wicket-keeper Jason Williams without scoring as Guyana reached 138-4 at lunch.
The post lunch period was characterized by the fall of four wickets without a run being scored from the bat as Guyana slumped from 145-4 to 146-8 with the addition to the total coming from a no-ball.
In the fourth over after lunch, Azeemul Hannif tried to turn a lifting ball outside the leg stump from Jeremy got an edge and was caught by wicket-keeper Williams.
Chattergoon then played back to one from Baker missed, and was leg-before, while Mahendra Nagamootoo survived one ball before Baker dislodged his middle stump at 146-7.
Derwin Christian then slapped a short ball from Jeremy straight to Maxford Pipe and was out without scoring at 146-8.
Esuan Crandon decided to counter attack and he struck two fours in the first over he faced while Permaul also came out in an aggressive mood striking three boundaries before trying to drive one too many and was bowled by Jeremy with the home team still nine runs short.
Crandon then smashed Jeremy through midwicket for four to take Guyana past the Leewards first innings score before Sanford ended the Guyana innings on 196 exactly one hour after lunch when Gordon edged a catch to the ‘keeper.
In the Leewards’ second innings, Pipe fished outside the off stump and was taken by wicket-keeper Christian for 13 just before tea leaving the visitors 15 for one. Soon after tea Christian caught Steve Liburd off the bowling of Esaun Crandon for two.
Opener Codwill Rogers, scored 49 but just when he was starting to blossom he was caught by Permaul off the bowling of Nagamootoo. He stroked nine fours in his 57-ball knock.
Joseph and Banks then put on a vital unbroken 64-run partnership to put Leewards in a good position.
Joseph playing a captain’s innings brought up his fifty in the penultimate over of the day with a single to mid-on. He struck five fours in 131 minutes off 111 balls.
Banks, who earlier was struck in the head by a return throw but did not leave the field, is not out on 26.
