BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Two-time reigning champions Guyana Jaguars will fancy their chances of a victory on today’s final day after batting themselves into a strong position against Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their Regional Four-Day contest here yesterday.Chris Barnwell top-scored with 61 and fellow all-rounder Raymon Reifer got 46 as Jaguars, with a lead of 135 on first innings, eased to 233 for eight in their second innings at Warner Park on the penultimate day of the game.
Captain Leon Johnson made 28, opener Rajindra Chandrika scored 24 and wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble, 22.Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr was the leading bowler with four for 56 while off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall claimed two for 72.
Set 369 for victory, Hurricanes defied the odds and ended the day without losing a wicket, perched on 44 without loss with Montcin Hodge on 26 and captain Kieran Powell on 20.
They require a further 325 runs to pull off an improbable win. The hosts added just one to their overnight first innings score of 157 before they were dismissed in the day’s first over but Jaguars then stuttered, slipping to 70 for four just after lunch.
Shimron Hetmyer was caught at the wicket off seamer Quinton Boatswain, trying to cut one too close to him at 25 for one, Chandrika fell to another catch the wicket after top-edging Cornwall at 45 for two and Vishaul Singh was lbw to Walsh Jr for two.
Shakily placed on 64 for three at lunch, Jaguars were further set back when Johnson perished via the run out route, in the third over following the resumption.
However, Barnwell mustered his eighth first class half-century, in an innings spanning 121 balls and 2-1/2 hours and which included six boundaries.
He put on 39 for the fifth wicket with veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul who made 20 and added a further 79 for the sixth wicket with Reifer, who struck five fours and a six in a breezy 75-ball knock.
The two partnerships deflated Hurricanes and though they claimed three wickets for 47 runs late on, any initiative had already slipped by.
JAGUARS 1st Innings 293
Hurricanes 1st Innings
(overnight 157 for nine)
*K Powell c and b Motie 79
M Hodge c Johnson b Reifer 8
A Saunders lbw b Barnwell 7
C Hughes c wkp Bramble b Reifer 1
N Bonner run out 13
+J Hamilton lbw b Permaul 4
R Cornwall c Johnson b Permaul 8
J Louis not out 24
H Walsh c Barnwell b Motie 0
Q Boatswain c Hetmyer b Joseph 6
G Tonge lbw b Joseph 3
Extras (lb1, w3, nb1) 5
TOTAL (all out, 77 overs) 158
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-37, 3-44, 4-69, 5-92, 6-109, 7-138, 8-142, 9-156, 10-158.
Bowling: Joseph 15-3-27-2 (nb1), Motie 17-5-43-3, Permaul 24-6-44-1, Reifer 10-5-22-2, Barnwell 11-3-21-1.
JAGUARS 2nd Innings
R Chandrika c wkp Hamilton b Cornwall 24
S Hetmyer c wkp Hamilton b Boatswain 12
*L Johnson run out 28
Vishaul Singh lbw b Walsh 2
S Chanderpaul c Walsh b Cornwall 20
C Barnwell c (sub) Karty b Walsh 61
R Reifer st Hamilton b Walsh 46
+A Bramble c Cornwall b Wash 22
V Permaul not out 22
Extras (b5, nb3) 8
TOTAL (8 wkts decl., 75.4 overs) 233
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-45, 3-62, 4-70, 5-109, 6-186, 7-208, 8-233.
Bowling: Tonge 14-4-38-0, Boatswain 14-3-30-1, Louis 8-4-17-0, Cornwall 24-3-72-2, Walsh 10.4-3-56-4, Bonner 3-1-4-0, Powell 2-0-11-0.
HURRICANES 2nd Innings (target: 369 runs)
K Powell not out 20
M Hodge not out 26
Extras (w1) 1
TOTAL (without loss, 18 overs) 47
Bowling: Joseph 4-1-10-0, Reifer 3-1-16-0, Barnwell 2-0-9-0, Motie 4-1-7-0, Permaul 4-2-4-0, Johnson 1-0-1-0.
