A defiant 78 from Travis Dowlin and a fighting unbeaten rear guard 28 from Vishal Nagamootoo failed to preventGuyana from losing first innings points to the Wind-ward Islands on the second day of their third round CaribBeer regional first class four- day cricket match at the Botanical Gardens yesterday.
The DCC middle order batsman battled in steaming heat for five minutes short of five hours and faced 176 balls in his responsible half-century- his eight at this level- but got little support from the other batsmen in another disappointing batting display on a good track for batting.
Dowlin who hit six fours and a six in his innings and put on 41 for the third wicket with Narsingh Deonarine who played well for 26. But poor shot selection by most of the Guyanese, combined with good bowling from pacer Camaron Cuffy (3-27), off-spinner Shane Shillingford (3-55) and skipper Rawl Lewis (2-20) ensured the home team took first innings points just before the close of play.
The Windwards began the second day on 203-9 and quickly lost Cuffy (6) caught off left arm spinner Neil McGarrell and they were all out off the fifth ball of the day for 204.
McGarell who now joins Clyde Butts (270) and Mahendra Nagamootoo (241) as the only Guyanese bowlers with 200 regional first class wickets, finished with 2-44. Nagamootoo (4-79) and Cush (2-20) supported with the ball for Guyana who were then all out for 192 as only three batsmen reached double figures.
With a first innings lead of 12 runs, the Windwards were 13-0 in their second innings with Devon Smith on nine and Romel Currency on four and the overall lead 25 runs going into the penultimate day today.
Guyana, without a point so far in the eight team competition were in early trouble when they slipped to 20-2 as Cuffy who will turn 34 on the eighth of next month, sent back both openers in the space of six runs.
Krishan Arjune (5) played no shot to a ball that cut back from off stump and was judged LBW at 14-1 while Sewnarine Chattergoon, with two half-centuries to his name this year, was bowled for five.
Deonarine looked good in his 26 from 73 balls, 83 minutes with four fours and along with Dowlin took the score to 61 before Shillingford produced a brute of a ball that bounced, turned and took the edge for 'keeper' Lindon James to hold the catch much to the delight of another small crowd.
Lennox Cush, badly short of runs and confidence this year, played a very poor shot five minutes before lunch to Shillingford and skied a catch to mid-off before he had scored to leave Guyana on the ropes on 71-4.
By lunch the Guyanese were 80-4 with Dowlin on 26 and Andre Percival in his first game for the season on one and their team still 125 runs away from first innings points.
After the interval Percival (7) was trapped LBW with a good ball that cut back and kept low from Cuffy to leave Guyana on 100-5 after the 100 was posted in 157 minutes from 36.5 overs.
Captain Neil McGarrell (7) then edged pacer Fernix Thomas to Devon Smith at first slip at 118-6 while Mahendra Nagamootoo again threw his wicket away when, after hitting Shillingford for a beautiful four, he smashed the next ball straight to cover. His 14 included two fours and he departed with Dowlin well set at the other end and Guyana on 137-7.
Vishal Nagamootoo, who has often failed to do his batting talent justice, showed why he scored a century in last year's competition with intelligent batting and offered excellent support to the confident Dowlin in their 32 run eight wicket stand to take Guyana to 171 before Dowlin was run out.
Dowlin, just 22 runs away from his third first class century and first since 2001, attempted a sharp single as he flicked the ball to short fine leg and could not get back in time as Nagamootoo screamed no.
Fast bowlers Esuan Crandon and Rayon Griffith were both removed for ducks by Lewis' leg breaks as the home team quickly took first innings points as Nagamootoo stood helplessly at the non strikers end and watched as his last two partners lost their heads, and wickets, trying to play big shots instead of staying with him.
Crandon was stumped at 174-9 but Vishal struck Lewis for a six and a four and then neatly cut leg-spinner Olanzo Jackson for another boundary in the next over to take Guyana to within 13 runs of first innings points and keep the Guyana hopes alive.
However, Griffith, who shared in a century partnership with Nagamootoo against West Indies 'B' last year in St. Croix, attempted to go over the top with a big drive and was taken at mid-off to spark celebrations around the beautiful ground surrounded by massive trees and towering mountains.
Guyana then failed to pick up a wicket in the seven overs they bowled before the close and will have to try and restrict the home team to a score of less than 250 today if they hope to stage a come from behind victory.
Manager Carl Moore said he was disappointed in the manner in which some of the senior players lost their wickets while Coach Smith complained that shot selection is something his team talks a lot about and yet they make the same mistakes over and over again.
He feels his side will have to really bowl well today if they hope to win the game batting last on a track expected to keep low on the final day tomorrow.