GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) - West Indies-B captain Jason Haynes with an unbeaten 40, marshalled his batting line up late on the second day of the Carib Beer 2004 Series against Guyana at the Enmore Community Centre Ground, to give his team a fighting chance as they respond to an impressive Guyana total, in excess of 400.
Guyana closed their first innings on 419 with Mahendra Nagamootoo, 58, slamming his sixth first class half-century, and another fifty coming from Damodar Daesrath (56).
West Indies-B then ended the day on 96 for two with Haynes, ten away from what would be his first half-century this year, and the Jamaican right-hander Danza Hyatt on 20, at the wicket.
Though they lost Shivnarine Chanderpaul early, the Guyanese, who upset second-placed Trinidad and Tobago last weekend for their first win of the season, got past the 400-mark they were looking for, largely as a result of a committed knock from Nagamootoo and some responsible batting from the tail-enders.
Chanderpaul added just two runs to his overnight 16, and as he tried to cut to regain the confidence, which evaded him overnight, snicked one from the impressive pacer Jason Bennett to wicketkeeper Patrick Browne.
Bennett, who ended the innings with four for 83, had beaten the West Indies middle order batsman twice in his previous over as he attempted to drive through covers.
From 288 for six, the score fell to 298 for seven when Neil McGarrell (4) also touched one through to the keeper.
Daesrath then fought along with Mahendra Nagamootoo to take the score to 353.
Daesrath got his maiden first-class fifty but was several times fortunate, twice being dropped in the slips, once by Ryan Ramdass and then by Austin Richards when he was on 40.
He survived two other chances but persevered to add 55 for the eighth wicket with Nagamootoo before he was run-out by a sharp and accurate Ryan Ramdass return from third man as he attempted a second run.
Nagamootoo, batting with purpose, smashed five fours from 115 balls in his 58, his first fifty this year.
After he lost Daesrath, next ball he saw his younger brother Vishal trapped by Bennett for a duck to make it 353 for nine.
However the West Indies-B were unable to wrap up the innings and aided a last-wicket partnership of 66 with some poor field placing, allowing Nagamootoo some free hits through the leg side, his favourite area.
Rayon Griffith, who stuck around with Nagamootoo for 20 runs, slammed one boundary and ensured that the score was pushed past the 400 mark.
It was Nagamootoo, curbing his naturally aggressive tendency though who was most responsible for Guyana getting to 419 that looked highly improbable after they had lost Chanderpaul in the eighth over of the day.
Nagamootoo finally went on the stroke of tea, bowled middle stump by Antonio Thomas (1-83) as he looked for quick runs.
Dwight Washington had two wickets for 79 runs while there was one apiece for Kenroy Williams (1-20) and Hyatt (1-25).
West Indies-B started their response after tea with Haynes and Ramdass, who got to 16 and tried to cut on a low track and was trapped lbw by Nagamootoo (1-37).
His replacement, left-handed Jamaican Shawn Findlay played two spanking cover drives for four, but when he got to 14 offered a stinging return chance to McGarrell (1-18) who accepted with glee.
The score was then 55 for two, but there were no further concerns for the West Indies-B as the captain Haynes stroked six fours and overcame a scratchy start to be within sight of a deserving fifty.
Hyatt, a naturally aggressive batsman, hit the only six of the game so far, lifting Nagamootoo several yards over the long on boundary for an enthralling six.
He also counted three fours in his 20.
A huge partnership much like the third wicket 162-run stand between Ramnaresh Sarwan (95) and Travis Dowlin (94) on the opening day, would be required of the West Indies-B batsmen if they are to avoid losing first innings points.
GUYANA 1st innings (overnight 266 for 5)
K. Arjune lbw Bennett 2
S. Chattergoon c wkp. Browne b Washington 3
R. Sarwan c wkp. Browne b Bennett 95
T. Dowlin c Findlay b Hyatt 94
N. Deonarine c Richards b Williams 35
S. Chanderpaul c wkp. Browne b Bennett 18
D. Daesrath run-out (Ramdass) 56
N. McGarrell c wkp. Browne b Washington 4
M. Nagamootoo b Thomas 58
V. Nagamootoo lbw Bennett 0
R. Griffith not-out 20
Extras: (nb-18, w-2, lb-8, b-6) 34
Total: (for all out from 135.5 overs) 419
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-14, 3-176, 4-244, 5-248, 6-288, 7-298, 8-353, 9-353.
Bowling: Washington 21-5-79-2 (nb-1), Bennett 27-3-83-4 (nb-4), Austin 34-6-86-0, Thomas 21.5-2-83-1 (nb-6, w-2), Findlay 11-3-20-0 (nb-2), Williams 7-0-20-1, Hyatt 12-4-25-1 (nb-4), Ramdass 2-0-9-0 (nb-1).