Guyana was in a strong position to force an outright win over second placed Trinidad and Tobago in their fifth round Carib Beer encounter at the Albion Community Centre ground here yesterday.

At close of play Trinidad, facing a deficit of 127 runs, were 169-8 an overall lead of 42 with two wickets remaining. One of those wickets however, is Dwayne Bravo who is far unbeaten on 55.

The injured Bravo, batting at number seven , came to the crease with his side in grave danger of suffering the indignity of an innings defeat but along with tail-ender Marlon Black ensured Trinidad erased the 127 run deficit. Untroubled by either pace or spin and playing some delightful shots Bravo raced to 50 in just 86 minutes with five fours and one six. His unbeaten 55 has so far spanned 101 minutes, from 83 balls and with six sweetly-timed boundaries and a six off leg-spinner Sewnarine Chattergoon's only over. Black and Bravo came together with Trinidad in dire straits on 89-6 following the dismissal of wicket-keeper Gibran Mohammed caught behind by Vishal Nagamootoo off Travis Dowlin for three. Black stayed with Bravo for 53 minutes and faced 38 balls whilst adding with Bravo 49 precious runs to the Trinidad and Tobago cause, his contribution being 10. Earlier, Guyana, resuming on their overnight 237-6 lost their remaining four wickets for the addition of only 33 runs. Damodar Daesrath, overnight 30 was the first to go, adjudged caught behind of medium pacer Rayad Emrit after adding only seven. Wicket-keeper Vishal Nagamootoo, the other overnight batsman played at a lifting delivery and was also caught behind off Emrit. Off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed was next to go smartly taken at first slip by Amit Jaggernauth off the now `red hot' Emrit. The innings ended when Black gained his first wicket of the match as Esaun Crandon was also caught at slip by Jaggernauth.

Emrit ended with 5-48 while Bravo and Jaggernauth each picked up two wickets and Black one. When Trinidad began their reply test batsman Daren Ganga opened the innings along with skipper Imran Jan. They lost Jan with the score on 13 the batsman failing to reproduce his first innings heroics and falling for a duck being clean bowled by Reon `Gummy' Griffith after 18 minutes at the crease.

The two Ganga's Sherwin and older brother Daren then added 23 for the second wicket. But the introduction of Guyana's skipper Neil Mc Garrell completely changed the course of the match. Forced to watch the wily left arm-spinner closely Sherwin Ganga pushing forward was snapped up by Travis Dowlin at silly-mid-off for 11. Shazam Babwah and Daren Ganga took the score to 65 before Mc Garrell struck again having Babwah LBW for 17. Ganga and Aneil Kanhai then took the score to 76-3 at tea with Ganga 40 and Kanhai on eight.

After the interval three wickets fell in the space of three runs as Guyana tightened the screws. First to go was Kanhai who never looked comfortable against the spinners and holed out to Krishna Arjune at mid-wicket. Then inexplicably Daren Ganga charged at a Travis Dowlin delivery and was bowled for 42. He batted for 150 balls in 183 minutes and he struck six fours. With the fall of wicketkeeper Mohammed one run later and Trinidad 89-6 at a quarter to four Guyana appeared to be heading for an innings win inside three days. But Bravo found useful partners in Emrit who made 14 in a partnership of 31 with Bravo and then Black who blocked and edged his way to 10 until his became the final wicket of the day. Dowlin has been the pick of the bowlers with 3-29 from 12 overs with four maidens while Mc Garrell supported him with 2-32 and Griffith, Daesrath and Mohammed one wicket each.Today is the final day.