Another one bites the dust! The Leewards celebrate the demise of Guyana vice captain Travis Dowlin (not in photo) LBW to Adam Sanford (2nd from right) during action in their Carib Beer cricket match at Enmore yesterday.
The Leeward Islands held the upper hand against Guyana when the second day of their fourth round Carib Beer regional first class cricket encounter ended at Enmore yesterday.
The home team, replying to the Leewards' 350 were 119 for four, still 232 runs away from first innings points on a slow track which has already started to keep low.
Guyana who need to score 200 to avoid the follow-on, were on the ropes on 89 for four when Narsingh Deona-rine (44) and Damodar Daesrath (13) joined forces, batting positively and running aggressively between the wickets to end the day unbeaten.
Deonarine has batted for 216 minutes and faced 157 balls in his carefully constructed innings which has included just a solitary four on the fast outfield. The fifth wicket partnership is already worth 30 runs and a lot will depend on these two players today, if Guyana hope to come off the mark on the points table in this game.
The pair joined forces when 16-year-old schoolboy Leon Johnson was run out at the non-striker's end for a one ball duck on his debut, much to the dismay of a good-sized and vocal crowd.
The talented Johnson joined fellow GCC players Paul Persaud and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who were also run out before they had scored in their debut first-class matches for Guyana. In the recent senior inter-county competition, Johnson became the second youngest player to score a debut century at that level and he is learning fast that cricket at the senior level is not child's play.
Guyana, experiencing their worst ever start in regional first-class cricket with three defeats in their first three games, needed a solid start from their openers after the Leewards, who began the day on 234 for five, fell for 350 ten minutes after lunch.
Guyana were off to a terrible start when the solid Krishna Arjune (1) steered a ball from West Indies pacer Adam Sanford to Shane Jeffers at second slip at one for one.
Guyana were soon in more trouble at 29 for two when Sewnarine Chattergoon (14) had his off-stump knocked out by Sanford as the home fans, entertained by a massive sound system and the charming Carib girls, again had to endure the pain of seeing their team struggle in this year's competition.
In brilliant sunshine, Deonarine and vice-captain Travis Dowlin put together 60 for the third wicket to revive the position and see their team to lunch at 53 for two, with Dowlin on 16 and Deonarine on 15.
The pair batted with common sense before Dowlin was trapped LBW to Sanford for 28 at 89 for three. He hit four fours from 239 balls and 385 minutes in his solid innings.
Johnson's heart-breaking demise then allowed Deonarine and Daesrath to see their team to the close without further loss, to set up an interesting third day as Guyana attempt to stay in the fight for first innings points.
Sanford has taken two for 23 while Kerry Jeremy and left-arm-spinner Virgil Browne have picked up one wicket each so far.
Earlier, the Leewards progressed from their overnight score of 234 for five to 336 for nine by lunch as Guyana enjoyed a good first session.
Dowlin, in a fine spell of economical and penetrative off-spin bowling, ended with four for 59 from 28 overs and bowled virtually unchanged during the entire first session yesterday to tie up one end.
Eighteen-year-old debutant Zaheer Mohamed supported with three for 83 with his off-spin while three Leewards wickets fell via the run out route.
Stuart Williams, the Leewards skipper who began the day 40 runs away from his 20th regional hundred, was the first to go when he was LBW to Dowlin for 79 at 279 for six.
Williams, who took the attack to the bowlers, hit nine fours and a six from 143 balls and 149 minutes in his entertaining innings.
Jason Williams (2) was taken at short leg by Johnson off Dowlin at 283 for seven, while the DCC player, picked more for his level-headed batting, also got rid of Jeremy (1) at 326-9 after Browne was run out for 15 at 318 for eight.
Wilden Cornwall batted well and reached his third half century of the season, aided by four fours and a massive six from 95 balls and 145 minutes before he ran out of partners.
Sanford (12) played a cover drive off Dowlin which would have made Brian Lara proud but he soon became the third Leewards batsman to be run out as the innings ended with Waldron undefeated on 59.