The Windward Islands were 203-9 against Guyana when bad light stopped play at 5:25pm yesterday on a truncated first day of their third round Carib Beer regional first-class, four-day cricket encounter at the Botanic Gardens in the heart of the Island's capital.
Without former test wicket-keeper Junior Murray (injured) the home team started badly when play finally began at 11:25am after early morning rain.
They lost the dangerous Devon Smith with the score on eight in the day's second over and, despite two useful partnerships later in the day, were never allowed on top due to controlled Guyana bowling backed up by a committed effort in the outfield by the fielders.
The left-handed Smith, who made his test debut against Australia last year at Bourda, and who already has an unbeaten century in the competition, was well taken head high at gully by Andre Percival off pacer Esuan Crandon after striking a boundary in his score of seven.
Percival and Crandon were the only changes in the Guyana team that lost by seven wickets in three days to Jamaica in the last round.
Percival came in for his first match of the series for the out of form Azeemul Haniff while Crandon replaced Reon Thomas after recovering from his fractured finger which kept him out of the Jamaica game.
The Windwards were soon in more trouble when a small crowd saw Romel Currency (2) edge a ball that bounced from leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo on the stroke of lunch to give Nagamootoo the first of his four wickets.
Nagamootoo bowled with good control on a track with slow turn for the spinners to end the day with 4-66 from 35 unchanged overs to take his regional wicket-tally to 241.
After lunch, a 66-run, third-wicket stand between debutant Roland Wilkinson and fellow Vincentian Lindon James, saw their team to 83 as the sun returned in all it's glory.
But just when the partnership began to look dangerous the correct looking James was removed by Nagamootoo, caught at long-off for 27. His innings was laced with four fours on the very lush green and heavy outfield.
Four runs later skipper Neil McGarrell got rid of Darren Sammy (4) as he edged a catch to 'keeper Vishal Nagamootoo much to the dismay of home fans who were also entertained by the pounding drums of the Sugar Fyah Carnival Band preparing for next month's Carnival here on the largest Island in the Eastern Caribbean.
After the 100 was posted 146 minutes from 39.1 overs, Nagamootoo, one of two players with test experience in the Guyana team, sent back the solid Wilkinson for a well played 64 at 125-5.
Wilkinson, a compact right-hander, reached the boundary seven times and his debut half-century lasted 159 minutes and 151 balls.
Skipper Rawle Lewis and off-spinner Shane Shillingford then staged a recovery by putting together 35 for the sixth wicket against an all-spin attack before Shillingford was deceived by a ball that bounced from Nagamootoo and was caught at slip by McGarrell for 18 at 160-6.
The pair had joined forces with their team in danger of falling for less than 150 and had taken the Windwards, the only team in regional first-class cricket without a title, to tea with Lewis on 26 with five fours at that stage and Shillingford on one.
Deighton Butler (1) was run out by Crandon from point as he was left stranded at mid pitch with the Windwards on 165-7 as the Guyanese maintained the pressure after tea.
Orlanzo Jackson (1) and Lewis fell in quick succession to off-spinner Lennox Cush to leave the home team on 197-9. Lewis' 56 included six fours and two sixes from 164 balls and he perished, caught by Krishna Arjune at deep mid-wicket while attempting to repeat the feat of hitting a six which he had done off the previous ball.
Cameron Cuffy came off the mark with a big six off Cush, who was belatedly introduced into the attack and was unbeaten on six when he and Fernix Thomas (4) accepted the umpire's offer to go off for bad light.
Cush supported Nagamootoo with 2-21 from four overs while Crandon and McGarrell had one wicket each for the Guyanese who enjoyed their best day in the competition this year.
Guyana coach Albert Smith said his team had showed lots of improvement and said he hopes his batsmen, who have let the team down in the first two games, find the type of form he knows they can to give Guyana first innings points today.
Play will start at 9:30am today, half of an hour earlier than the scheduled 10:00am starting time to make up for time lost yesterday.