Six Jamaican wickets tumbled for 29 runs as Guyana recorded a sensational four-run, come-from-behind victory over the home team at Kaiser yesterday to book a place in Sunday’s Red Stripe Bowl final.

A responsible 67 from 128 balls with seven fours from Chris Gayle failed to prevent his team from suffering their first defeat in the competition.

The Guyana spinners Mahendra Nagamootoo (9.1-0-24-3), Neil McGarrell (10-0-31-2), Narsingh Deonarine (9-2-33-1) and Lennox Cush (10-2-20-0), aided by thoughtful bowling changes by skipper Chanderpaul, all turned in impressive performances when their team needed them the most.

Close to 5,000 stunned home fans watched as Jamaica slumped from 150-4 to 179 all out in 49.1 overs. The home team had limited Guyana to 183 all out in 49.5 overs and seemed well on course for victory with Gayle and David Bernard looking at ease in their 60-run, fifth-wicket stand before Bernard fell to trigger the shocking collapse. With five runs needed from the last over bowled by Nagamootoo, everyone was on their feet as Jerome Taylor played across and was LBW first ball to send Jamaica, last year’s losing finalist, crashing out of the competition.

Gayle and fellow West Indies left-hander Wavel Hinds put together 47 for the second-wicket after fast bowler Rayon Griffith had given Guyana early hope by inducing Brenton Parchment (2) to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Vishal Nagamootoo in the third over at 11-1.

Hinds was dropped at mid-off by Ryan Ramdass off fast-bowler Eusan Crandon on 21 at 51-1. He, however, failed to capitalize on his good fortune and drove hard, but straight to skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul at short cover in Crandon’s next over to leave the home team, hunting their fifth regional one-day title, on 58-2.

Hinds hammered four fours in his 27-ball 23 but with the 50 posted in just 54 balls it was a rash shot to play at that stage with his team well above the required run-rate.

Marlon Samuels was then sent packing for a first ball duck as he edged a ball which left him for ‘keeper Nagamootoo to hold a sharp low catch to his right and leave Crandon on a hat-trick and Jamaica on 58-2 in the twelfth over.

Ricardo Powell was greeted by a resounding roar from the large and vocal crowd and the powerful right-hander, already with two fifties in the competition, smashed Crandon for three consecutive boundaries in his seventh over which cost 13 runs.

Left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell then silenced the crowd at 90-4 when Powell was bowled for a cameo 20 from 17 balls with four scorching fours.

Gayle, who got going with successive boundaries in the first over bowled by Griffith, batted responsibly and reached his second half-century in the competition, following his unbeaten 72 against the Windward Islands. His 50 came from 97 balls and was decorated with six fours.

From 150-4 Jamaica slumped to defeat as the Guyana spinners fought back in cool conditions.

Nagamootoo got rid of Bernard (29 with three fours from 75 balls) at 150-5 and then sent back the dangerous Gayle five runs later as the tension mounted.

It was soon 160-7 when skipper Robert Samuels, one of 10 players in the Jamaican side with test experience, lofted Deonarine to Ramdass in the deep while Carlton Baugh was bowled by McGarrell for a duck at 165-8.

The crowd was stunned into silence when Gareth Breeze (7) was run out going for a second run to long off at 168-9 leaving the last pair to make 16 runs from 11 balls.

Jerome Taylor sent the crowd wild with a six off Deonarine in the penultimate over to add to the excitement.

But it was all over when Taylor was LBW playing across to Nagamootoo in the final over to ensure Guyana qualified for their fourth Red Stripe Bowl final and spark wild celebrations in the Guyana camp.

Earlier, Guyana put in to bat on a track with some early assistance for the pacers, reached 36 before medium pacer Bernard struck in his second over to trap Ramdass LBW in the tenth over of the match.

Ramdass, who took 19 balls before he came off the mark with a cut for four off Bernard, struggled for 27 balls in his nine although he reached the boundary twice.

Bernard struck again when the out-of-form Cush played a loose drive at a wide ball and was caught behind by Baugh to leave the score on 36-2 as Cush registered his third duck in the competition.

The 50 was posted in 78 balls before the lively Taylor picked up the valuable wicket of West Indies vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (8) comprehensively bowled at 56-3 in the fifteenth over, much to the delight of a good-sized crowd.

Opener Sewnarine Chattergoon again failed to convert a good start into a substantial innings and was caught at square-leg sweeping at off-spinner Breeze at 60-4.

Chattergoon’s 23 included two boundaries on the fast outfield and lasted 51 balls. Fellow left-hander Chanderpaul departed 13 runs later as Guyana slumped to 73-5.

The Guyana captain and the team’s most reliable batsman hit two fours in his 24-ball innings of 12 before he was stumped off Breeze to leave Jamaica large and in charge.

Deonarine, the last of the specialist batsmen, was then trapped LBW to the quick off-spin of Samuels for 11 at 89-6. The Guyana innings never really recovered despite two useful partnerships involving McGarrell towards the end of the innings.

Mahendra Nagamootoo and McGarrell, both with test experience, lifted Guyana to 121 with a fighting 32-run, seventh-wicket stand before the left-handed Nagamootoo was caught and bowled in Gayle’s first over.

Nagamootoo reached the boundary four times in his 30 from 42 balls but was removed when he looked set for bigger things.

Vishal Nagamootoo (4) failed to control a hook at a bouncer from Taylor who generated some pace and lobbed a catch to the ‘keeper as Guyana, who lost to Barbados in last year’s semi final, slumped to 139-8.

Crandon, gaining promotion from number eleven to 10 in the order after his solid unbeaten 31 against Barbados in the Antigua zone of the competition, played some sensible shots and along with the experienced McGarrell, added 37 in a ninth-wicket partnership to frustrate the Jamaicans.

Crandon who hit the only six of the innings in his 17 from 24 balls, was caught by Baugh cutting at a ball which bounced and turned from Ricardo Powell at 176-9.

McGarrell was bowled by Ricardo Powell for a top score of 43 with five boundaries from 60 balls as Guyana all out off the penultimate ball of their innings.

Taylor (2-38), Bernard (2-20), Breeze (2-35) and Ricardo Powell (2-9) picked up a couple of wickets each to orchestrate Guyana’s demise in hot conditions.