At the close, Guyana were without loss with openers Azeemul Haniff and Sewnarine Chattergoon on three and one respectively. Batting in the unusual position of number five, after smashing over 900 runs in last year’s Busta Shield/Cup tournament, the stylish Williams, who started this year’s competition with 71 against Jamaica, continued from where he left off while Simmons shone before his home crowd in a fine display.

The Leewards’ effort was however thwarted by leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo, who despite seeing two catches go a-begging, finished with the impressive figures of four for 74 from 30 overs while skipper Neil McGarrell and fast bowler Reon King finished with two for 59 and 66 respectively.

The trio combined effectively to pull Guyana back in the game after the Leewards’ top order had threatened to cut loose.

After McGarrell had asked the home team to bat, the normally aggressive Alex Adams (nine) never looked comfortable before he spooned an easy catch to Lennox Cush at wide mid-off, top-edging an attempted pull in left-arm spinner’s first over with the score on 28.

The Guyana captain had replaced Colin Stuart, who once again looked lethargic in his opening two overs that cost 18 runs.

Homeboy Mitchum, on the other hand, was in fine nick and treated his fellow Kittitians to a wide array of attacking strokes, especially through the offside.

Adams’ departure did little to stem the flow of runs as Mitchum and Sylvester ‘Bouncing’ Joseph took the attack to the Guyana pace-spin combination of Reon King and McGarrell, the first 50 coming in just 53 minutes.

Guyana should however have gotten rid of Joseph when he was 13 but Cush floored a knee-high catch at short mid-wicket off McGarrell. Undaunted by the ‘life’ given to his partner, Mitchum got into the act by lifting McGarrell straight back over his head for six and brought up his half-century with a classical square drive off a returning Colin Stuart.

Joseph also took advantage of some wayward bowling from Stuart, who insisted on bowling short on a good batting track, pulling him through mid-wicket with immense ease on three occasions for boundaries.

It was another disappointing performance from the Guyana and West Indies fast bowler whose first six overs cost 41 runs. He wasn’t required to bowl again.

The second-wicket partnership of 71 in 69 minutes came to an end, when Joseph (34), lofted a well-flighted delivery from McGarrell to Azeemul Haniff at extra cover with the score on 99.

Guyana gained their third success 10 runs later with the Guyanese captain, McGarrell, again involved as he held a stinging catch at short extra cover to get rid of the dangerous looking Mitchum off leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo for a fine 60 just before lunch. His innings included eight spanking fours and a six off 69 balls.

The Leewards went to lunch with Willett on four and skipper Stuart Williams still to score.

Guyana had a great chance to send back Williams, shortly after the interval but Chattergoon failed to hold on to sharp chance off the glove of the Leewards captain as he plodded forward to a delivery that had prodigious bounce from Nagamootoo.

Williams, whose last innings against Guyana was a monumental 252 not out at the Albion Community Centre ground in last year’s Busta International Shield semifinal, was then on eight and the Leewards 118 for three.

Williams soon got into his strides, lifting Nagamootoo effortlessly over extra cover for his first six and hoisting Cush over mid-wicket for his second while Willett, who started shakily, blossomed after the interval.

Williams’ charm life continued when wicketkeeper Vishal Nagamootoo spilled a straightforward chance off his brother with the stylish left-hander on 30 and the homesters on 157 for three.

Williams, who was recalled to the West Indies Test team after his phenomenal batting performance in last year’s regional tournament, went into high gear after that, and in tandem with Willett delighted the small gathering with some breathtaking drives.

The worrisome fourth-wicket partnership, which was worth 81 runs, came to an end when King trapped Willett lbw for 42, an innings that included four fours and a six.

Ian Tittle joined his captain and looked in ominous form with two sweetly-timed consecutive fours through the off-side off King while Williams eased the same bowler for two exquisite fours in another over.

King, who is aiming for a recall to the West Indies team, however, had the last laugh as on the stroke of tea he deceived Williams into playing a lofted drive straight to Andre Percival at mid-off to depart for 78.

After his exploits last year, the Guyanese must have felt relieved to see the back of Williams, who spanked eight fours and two sixes in his knock which lasted 120 minutes while he faced 109 balls.

The Leewards had scored 131 in the two-hour session, while losing the wickets of Willett and Williams.

Guyana struck two quick blows after tea, with Tittle (13), failing to add to his score while wicketkeeper Joel Simmons (four) was undone by a brilliant throw from Chattergoon that saw him being run-out by centimetres.

Omari Banks and Curl Simon held up the Guyanese for a while before Banks, who hit 75 against Jamaica, edged a delivery from Nagamootoo unto his leg stump.

Simon (13) and Adam Sanford (four) did not provide any assistance to Jeremy, as McGarrell and Nagamootoo finished off the tail.

LEEWARD Islands first innings

A. Adams c Cush b McGarrell 9

J. Mitchum c McGarrell b Nagamootoo 60

S. Joseph c Haniff b McGarrell 34

T. Willett lbw King 42

S. Williams c Percival b King 78

I. Tittle c Dowlin b Nagamootoo 13

O. Banks b Nagamootoo 5

J. Simmons run-out 4

C. Simon c Haniff b McGarrell 13

K. Jeremy not out 2

A. Sanford c & b Nagamootoo 4

Extras: (b-4, lb-6, nb-1) 11

Total: (all out, 84.5 overs) 275

Fall of wickets: 28, 99, 109, 189, 240, 240, 246, 264,

275.

Bowling: King 17-4-66-2, Stuart 6-0-41-0, McGarrell 26-8-59-3, Nagamootoo 30-9-74-4, Cush 7-1-25-0.

GUYANA first innings

A. Haniff not out 3

S. Chattergoon 1

Extras: (nb-4, w-1) 5

Total: (for no wicket, six overs) 9

Bowling: Jeremy 3-1-8-0, Sanford 2-1-1-0, Simon