A fighting, unfinished 88-run, fourth-wicket partnership between Sherwin Campbell (57 n.o) and Ryan Hinds (48 n.o) helped double-defending Carib Beer champions Barbados to 138-3 in reply to Guyana's 310 all out when the second day's play in their four-day Carib Beer International Shield semi-final ended at the Kensington Oval here yesterday.
The home team need another 173 runs for first innings points with seven wickets intact going into the penultimate day today and an interesting battle is anticipated on a slow low track which, according to Sir Viv Richards, does not look like the normal Kensington Oval pitch.
The former West Indies batting great said on a CMC radio interview yesterday that he hoped those responsible for preparing the pitch "get it right when the big day comes around".
Richards was no doubt referring to the third test match between West Indies and England which starts on April 1 in Barbados.
On another sweltering day, a fair-sized crowd saw Guyana resume on 248-7.
Led by a responsible 40-run, ninth-wicket stand between Damodar Daesrath (51) and Vishal Nagamootoo (13), Guyana batted out the entire first session to go past the 300-run mark before Daesrath was last out on the stroke of lunch.
Daesrath, in his fifth regional first-class game, hit three fours from 107 balls, in 164 minutes before he was taken at silly mid-off pushing forward to leftarm spinner Hinds after reaching his second 50 of the season.
Mahendra Nagamootoo (2) was run out by Corey Collymore from short midwicket by a direct throw to the non-striker's end at 260 while his younger brother Vishal was also run out; Kirk Wilkinson hit the woodwork from side-on at point, at 300-9.
Rayon Griffith (3) was left not out as Guyana added 62 runs in the session after they had lost four wickets for 15 runs late on the first day.
Leftarm pacer Pedro Collins (4-85) and Ian Bradshaw (2-43) did the damage with the ball for Barbados.
Collins took his wicket tally this season to 37, to go past his injured team-mate Tino Best (35) as the competition's leading wicket-taker.
Barbados were off to a bad start immediately after lunch.
Teenaged lefthander Martin Nurse (4) edged a catch to wicket-keeper Vishal Nagamootoo at 81 as Daesrath, moving the ball both ways off the seam with his medium-pace, made the breakthrough in the second over of the innings.
At 392, Kirk Wilkinson, who made 116 when the two teams last met seven weeks ago in the first round, was trapped LBW to Daesrath for 15 to spark celebrations among the Guyanese in the ground, who opted to miss the opening of the three-day Guyana Trade Expo which began at the Grand Barbados Beach Resort in Bridgetown at 10:am yesterday, in order to urge their team on.
The Barbados 50 was posted in 78 minutes on one of the slowest tracks prepared this season before Nagamootoo was introduced and bowled Floyd Reifer off his pads with his first ball, as the left-hander, who made nine, failed to control a paddle-sweep shot.
By tea, Barbados were 722 with Campbell on 23 and Hinds on 16.
After the break, the pair, both with test experience, frustrated the South Americans with defiant batting to see their team to the close.
Campbell, the 32-year-old former test opener, got to his 12th regional first-class, halfcentury in 216 minutes, from 157 balls with three fours while Hinds' unbeaten 48 has lasted 157 minutes, come from 154 balls and has been decorated with five fours.
Guyana opener Sewnarine Chattergoon suffered a slight misfortune when he was struck on the back of his neck by Hinds off left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell while fielding at short-leg. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.
Manager of the Guyana team Carl Moore told Stabroek Sport after the game that Chattergoon was in no serious discomfort and that his injury was just a `hard hit'.
Chattergoon, Moore said was fully aware of all that was going on around him and the tests showed no serious problem. He should be able to field today, Moore added. Daesrath has so far taken 2-18 from nine overs while Nagamootoo took 1-27 to take his regional first-class, wicket-tally to 258 wickets, 12 away from the record 270 held by fellow Guyanese Clyde Butts. Today's play is scheduled to commence at 10 am and President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, is expected to be present.