Darren Sammy fell 13 runs short of becoming the third St. Lucian to register a regional first-class cen-tury and Devon Smith hit another delightful half- century yesterday but Reon Griffith's 6-44 ensured that Guyana ended the third day of their four-day Carib Beer first class cricket encounter against the Windward Islands at the Botanical Gardens yesterday in a good position to record a come-from-behind victory today.
Set 255 to win, Guyana were 41-0 with Krishna Arjune on 27 with three fours and Sewnarine Chattergoon on 12. Guyana need another 214 runs for victory with all of their second innings wickets in hand.
Guyana dismissed the Windwards for 242 in the final session yesterday as Griffith, in his thirteenth regional first-class game picked up his first five-wicket haul to deny the home team the type of total which would have shut Guyana out of the game on a final day track expected to keep low and offer more turn for the spinners.
Arjune, dropped at square-leg on 14 hooking at Fernix Thomas with the score on 21, looked very positive and, along with the solid Chattergoon, saw Guyana to the close as skipper Rawle Lewis used six bowled in vain to effect the breakthrough.
Guyana, who lost first innings points on the second day, possess a long batting line-up but, apart from off-spinner Shane Shilling-ford's ability to cause lots of problems on the last day pitch, their main concern could be the mental approach of their batsmen.
They need to score at less than three runs per over to notch up their first points in the competition and keep them in contention for a semi-final place.
Watched by a fair-sized crowd which included 31 year-old Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the youngest Prime Minister in the Caribbean, and Mayor of Roseau, Cecil Joseph, who performed the duties of scorer in the Dominica Broadcasting Service (DBS) commentary booth, the home team began the day 13-0 and were off to a good start.
The exciting left-handed Smith, who played some enterprising shots in his 52 and Romel Currency (25) put together 75 on the heavy outfield before captain Neil McGarrell enticed Currency to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Vishal Nagamootoo.
Griffith, moving the ball both ways on a track with no real pace, then got rid of debutant Roland Wilkinson for a first ball duck at 76-2. The Vincentian was bowled with a short ball that struck his hip and rolled onto his wicket.
With Zouk (French Soca) and Bouyon (Creole Soca) music pounding in between overs and the sun streaming down in all it's glory, Guyana struck two more telling blows before lunch, which was taken with the Windwards on 99-4.
Lindon James (10) departed at 90-3 while the dangerous Smith hooked a bouncer just before lunch and was smartly taken low down at square leg by Narsingh Deonarine at 93-4 as Griffith struck twice in quick succession.
Smith hit nine elegant fours in his 120-minute and 97-ball innings but threw his wicket away with a rash shot just when he seemed set.
After lunch Lewis (21) and Sammy carried the score to 153 with a brisk 60-run, fifth-wicket stand before Lewis departed.
Lewis lofted Nagamootoo for two mighty sixes off consecutive balls and then smashed the leg-spinner out of the ground in his next over forcing McGarrell to take his most experienced bowler out of the attack.
Esuan Crandon replaced Nagamootoo who was troubled by a no-ball problem and actually had Sammy stumped by his brother on 33 with a no-ball.
Crandon quickly struck when Lewis, who hit two fours and two sixes in his cameo 21, flicked a ball off his pads to substitute Azeemul Haniff at square-leg to leave the Islanders in trouble.
Shillingford (2) edged a perfect arm-ball from off-spinner Lennox Cush to McGarrell at slip at 158-6, as McGarrell turned to Cush who responded with an impressive spell of spin bowling by getting the ball to bounce alarmingly.
On the stroke of tea, and with Sammy on 71 at the other end, Deighton Butler (3) had an almighty swipe at McGarrell and was caught by Cush at long-on as the home team went to tea at 193-7, enjoying an overall lead of 205.
Orlanzo Jackson was trapped LBW to the hard-working Griffith for a duck at 196-8 before Fernix Thomas and Sammy added 29 for the ninth wicket to see their team to 225 when Sammy was removed by Griffith.
Sammy, who hit a century in the recent Windward Islands tournament, reached the boundary 11 times and cleared it once in his fine 87 from 188 minutes and 158 balls to enhance his growing reputation as a full-fledged all-rounder.
Some lusty hitting from Dominican Thomas, who was dropped by Cush at long-off and by Crandon at long-on in the same over off McGarrell, entertained the fans as he along with Cameron Cuffy (3 not out) carried their team to an overall lead of 255.
Thomas, who deposited McGarrell for two sixes, also hit two fours in his 27 before he had his off-stump knocked out by Griffith who bettered his previous best first-class figures of 4-49.
Griffith ended with 6-44 from 16.5 overs while McGarrell supported with 2-61 from 20 overs. Crandon (1-34 from 14 overs) and Cush (1-33 from 15 overs) were the other wicket takers. Nagamootoo who has bowled way below his best this season, finished with none for 64 from 14 overs.
A keen contest is expected today and if the openers can bat out the first hour Guyana should be favoured to emerge with an outright win although Shillingford and company could make life very difficult for the Guyana batsmen today.