A fighting 156-run second-wicket partnership between Krishna Arjune and Sewnarine Chattergoon give Guyana a lifeline as the visitors ended the penultimate day of their first round four- day Carib Beer first-class cricket encounter against Barbados on 307-6, seven runs away from making Barbados bat a second time.

Arjune, the correct right-hander from Everest and the attacking Chattergoon from Albion joined forces at 21-1 after Azeemul Haniff who made eight, had his off-stump knocked out 10 minutes into the day's play by Ryan Nurse to leave Guyana, who began the day on 12 without loss, in early trouble.

Guyana skipper Neil McGarrell had stated on Saturday evening that his team would bat for two days to save the match and by the end of play yesterday his batsmen had put up a vastly improved performance as the Bajans chased leather all day in steaming hot conditions.

On a good track for batting and watched by another small crowd Arjune and Chatter-goon batted wonderfully to see their team to 118-1 by lunch with Chattergoon unbeaten on 61 and Arjune on 41.

The pair played positive cricket and ran aggressively between the wickets to frustrate the home team who were anticipating another dismal batting collapse from the lads from the Mainland.

Chattergoon reached his sixth fifty at this level from 74 balls, 130 minutes aided by seven fours on the lush green and slow outfield before he departed after the interval to trigger a mini collapse.

The hyper-active Tino Best induced Chattergoon to hook at a quick bouncer for Floyd Reifer to run back from slip to hold the top edged shot and leave the score on 177-2.

Chattergoon's well-played 85 was decorated with 11 fours and came from 154 balls and 247 minutes.

Best, showing lots of emotion, struck again when Lennox Cush played across and was trapped LWB for a first ball duck.

A few overs before the demise of Chattergoon and Cush off successive balls, the umpires had changed the ball and awarded five penalty runs to Guyana for ball tampering by the Bajans.

The hostile Best struck again off the final ball before tea when Narsingh Deonarine (12) played an irresponsible hook and only succeeded in skying the ball to Pedro Collins at square-leg as Guyana spoiled their hard for in the first session and a half of the day.

At tea Guyana were 202-2 with the solid Arjune on 72 and Guyana still 112 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat.

After tea, Arjune closed in on his second first class ton and first for Guyana and, along with Travis Dowlin, took the score to 242 before Guyana again lost two wickets in two balls.

Arjune, who batted for 295 minutes and reached the boundary five times in his gritty 97, edged a ball from left-arm pacer Ian Bradshaw which bounced and left him to the 'keeper Courtney Browne.

Bradshaw then had Vishal Nagamootoo taken at fourth slip first ball to leave the score on 242-6.

Bradshaw, like Best earlier, was denied the opportunity of joining fellow Barbadian Jason Bennette (who had three wickets in three balls for West Indies `B' against Kenya yesterday in St. Lucia) on with a hat-trick in regional first class cricket.

Dowlin, who laboured for 50 minutes in the first innings for his duck, started nervously but his confidence increased as his innings progressed and he played some delightful cover drives towards the end of the day in his unbeaten 33.

Vice-Captain Mahendra Nagamootoo, like he did in the first innings counter attacked the bowlers and, in fading light, finished the day on 40 not out to keep hope alive of an improbable Guyana victory today.

Dowlin and Nagamootoo have so far put together 65 valuable runs in their unfinished seventh wicket stand. Best has so far taken 3-49 while Bradshaw has 2-63.

Coach Albert Smith said he was disappointed that Arjune and Chattergoon threw away centuries but added that he was happy with the overall day's work.

According to Manager of the team Carl Moore, Esuan Crandon has been advised to miss the next match which starts in Jamaica on Friday. Crandon is nursing a hairline fracture to the little finger on his left hand sustained while fielding on Friday but will bat today.

Reon Thomas, who suffered a side strain after bowling five balls in the Barbados innings, will be again examined today and he too could miss the next match.

Moore said that by today his team will know if a replacement for

Crandon will be sent from Guyana. He is hoping that Crandon could travel with the team since he feels that the Berbice pacer will be better off being looked at by a doctor in Jamaica than being sent home.