HIGH FIVE! Leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo (third from right) celebrates his five-wicket haul on his return to the national team at Enmore yesterday. The former West Indies player grabbed 5-100 to set Guyana on course for victory against the West Indies '
Mahendra Nagamootoo continued his wonderful return to the national cricket team after serving a two-match ban by following up his 58 with the bat with a five-wicket haul yesterday.
Nagamootoo's 5-100 put Guyana in a commanding position to press for an outright win against West Indies 'B' today on the final day of their four-day Carib Beer regional first-class match at Enmore.
At the close of the penultimate day, the visitors, following on after falling for 228 in their first innings replying to Guyana's 419, were on the ropes on 50-2.
Guyanese Ryan Ramdass is unbeaten on a solid 25 and with him is Danza Hyatt on six with their team still 142 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat on a last-day track expected to play very low today.
Nagamootoo captured 5-100 from 45 overs of leg- spin to claim his ninth regional first-class five-wicket haul and take his tally at this level to 246, as West Indies 'B' who began the day on 96-2, were dismissed four minutes after the extended tea break.
Left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell supported with 2-47 from 35 overs as Guyana took first innings points and a 191 first innings lead to set them on course for what would be their second consecutive outright victory in the competition.
The rejuvenated Naga-mootoo was in top form and flighted the ball a lot more than he has done in the last two seasons to end the day one wicket away from equalling Courtney Walsh's 246 victims at this level.
On a last-day track which should assist the spinners, the Berbician with four test matches to his name, should be licking his fingers as he hopes to close in on Ranji Nanan (254) and fellow Guyanese Clyde Butts (270) to become the highest wicket- taker in regional cricket.
Jason Haynes (45) and Haytt (43) took West Indies 'B' to 116 before Haynes was caught and bowled by Nagamootoo in overcast conditions.
Hyatt was then caught and bowled by McGarrell at 131-4 after rain cut 41 minutes from the first session after it stopped play at 10:19 AM.
By lunch the Windies ,B' were 136-4 with Patrick Brown, who enjoyed a good performance behind the stumps in the Guyana innings, and Austin Richards, trying to stabilize the situation.
After the interval Richards was taken at mid-wicket by Shivnarine Chanderpaul who held a well-judged catch running back about 20 yards to give the 'pumped up' Nagamooto the break through at 156-5.
After Damodar Daesrath trapped Kenroy Williams LBW for nine at 175-6, Krishna Arjune held a magnificent one-handed catch inches from the boundary boards as he showed great commitment and held his balance on the square-leg boundary as Brown (34) swept at the leg-spin of Ramnaresh Sarwan to leave the young West Indians on 205-8.
Nagamootoo removed Ryan Austin (5) when Chanderpaul at cover held a brilliant catch from a full- blooded drive much to the delight of a large and excited crowd in hot sunshine.
Nagamootoo then had Antonio Thomas LBW for eight at 211-9 and, with a broad smile on his face, signalled his first five-wicket haul for the season to the vocal crowd and the Carib Girls sitting in the commentary box.
It was soon all over for the visitors in their first innings when pacer Rayon Griffith had Dwight Washington (5) LBW leaving Jason Bennett unbeaten on 15.
Guyana, who must win this and their final-round match against Kenya outright to stand an outside chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, enforced the follow-on.
The home team, which produced an outstanding performance in the field and looked a united bunch of players in this game, soon had success when Haynes (10) fell to Griffith at 17-1 and Shawn Findley (9) was sent back by an outstanding catch at slip by Sarwan off McGarrell at 38-2.
Ramdass looks well set on 25 and along with Hyatt will have to do a lot of hard work today as Guyana press home for 12 points to claw their way back into contention after a very poor start in the 2004 competition.