GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) - Leeward Islands, though not overwhelmingly domineering, enjoyed the better of the opening day in their bottom-of-the-table fourth round match of the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series against Guyana at the Enmore Community Centre ground, finishing on 234 for five.
Deciding to take first strike on a placid track, Leewards batted all day ending with their captain Stuart Williams unbeaten on 60 and looking as though he is in a committed hunt for his second century this season.
Opening batsmen Shane Jeffers and Alex Adams shared an opening stand of 62 before Adams, who battled two hours for 47 that included eight fours, was caught at short leg off debutant off-spin bowler Zaheer Mohamed on the stroke of lunch after he had emerged from an uncertain start against Rayon Griffith, but then showed some fluency.
Sylvester Joseph, after putting on 75 runs with Jeffers for the second wicket, was unfortunate to be run-out for 32, when he was backing up too far and Damodar Daesrath, on his follow through, got his hand on a straight drive which then crashed into the non-striker’s stumps.
Jeffers reached 63 before he was taken at slip by the Guyanese skipper Neil McGarrell and also bowled Tonito Willett for one when the batsman tried to cut a low turning delivery, but succeeded only in chopping it onto his stumps.
After Willett’s dismissal, Williams took charge of the proceedings. He cut and drove nine exquisite fours, once viciously dismissing the generally impressive Mohamed through extra-cover off consecutive deliveries.
Williams and Carl Tuckett shared in the largest partnership of the day, 82 for the fifth wicket, before the latter’s uncertain prod forward to part-time off-spinner Travis Dowlin saw him caught at forward short leg for 26.
The 18-year-old Mohamed, who took three for 62 from 23 overs, started to show signs of fatigue late in the day when Williams started to go after him. He was impressive on debut, sharing the bulk of the workload with McGarrell, who toiled without getting a wicket.
While McGarrell was his usual restrictive self, conceding only 42 runs from 25 overs, Mohamed flighted the ball nicely and got appreciable, if not vicious turn forcing mostly circumspect batting from the Leewards.
Guyana made three changes to the side that lost to the Windwards in round three, naming Damodar Daesrath, Zaheer Mohamed and Leon Johnson to replace Andre Percival, Mahendra Nagamootoo, and Lennox Cush.
Leewards, beaten by West Indies-B in their last match, made one change, bringing back Wilden Cornwall in the place of Elsroy Powell.
Leewards are seventh in the Championship with nine points and pointless Guyana are last.
LEEWARD ISLANDS 1st innings
A. Adams c Dowlin b Mohamed 47
S. Jeffers c McGarrell b Mohamed 63
S. Joseph run-out (Dasrath) 32
T. Willett b Mohamed 1
S. Williams not out 60
C. Tuckett c Chattergoon b Dowlin 26
W. Cornwall not out 0
Extras: (b-2, nb-3) 5
Total: (5 wkts) 234
Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-137, 3-145, 4-148, 5-230.