NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Steven Jacobs stroked only his second first class half-century to lead Guyana to first innings points over Leeward Islands on the second day of their Regional Four-Day Championship clash here yesterday.
The right-hander, who has had a chequered career for Guyana, hit 75 to lead the visitors to 268 for nine in reply to the Leewards’ 182 all out at Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Guyana lead the first round encounter by 86 runs with two days remaining. Resuming from their overnight 37 without loss, Guyana needed Jacobs’s effort after slipping to 61 for three before lunch.
The damage was done by former West Indies seamer Lionel Baker who accounted for all three wickets to fall, to finish the day with four for 52. Rajindra Chandrika added just three to his overnight 32 before he was trapped lbw and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the son of veteran West Indies left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul, followed to a catch at the wicket at 56 for two.
When Leon Johnson gave wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton the second of his five catches in the innings to depart for 12, Guyana were tottering and in need of a bail out.
It came in the form of a 109-run, fourth wicket partnership between Jacobs and West Indies batsman Assad Fudadin which put the Guyanese on the brink of first innings points.
Jacobs faced 140 balls in a shade over three hours at the crease and struck eight fours and two sixes in his highest first class score while the left-handed Fudadin hit 49 from 182 balls in 227 minutes, with three boundaries. The stand carried Guyana to within reach of the lead before Jacobs became one of two wickets to fall before tea, with Chris Barnwell going cheaply for nine.
After the interval, wickets fell steadily as medium pacer Tonito Willett (2-27) and fellow seamer Gavin Tonge (2-82) brought the Leewards back into the game.
However Derwin Christian, who hit 26, combined with Fudadin to add 42 for the sixth wicket while captain Veerasammy Permaul added 21 down the order to stretch Guyana’s lead.
Scoreboard
Scoreboard
LEEWARDS 1st Innings 182 (T Willett 58; Veerasammy Permaul 4-42)
GUYANA 1st Innings
(overnight 37 without loss)
R Chandrika lbw Baker 35
T Chanderpaul c wkp Hamilton b Baker 13
L Johnson c wkp Hamilton b Baker 12
A Fudadin c wkp Hamilton b Baker 49
S Jacobs c wkp Hamilton b Willett 75
C Barnwell lbw Tonge 9
+D Christian c Martin b Tonge 26
*V Permaul c wkp Hamilton b Willett 21
D Bishoo run out 17
R Beaton not out 6
K Joseph not out 0
Extras (b1, lb4) 5
TOTAL (9 wkts, 106 overs) 268
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-56, 3-61, 4-170, 5-179, 6-221, 7-225, 8-247, 9-268.
Bowling: Tonge 23-5-82-2, Baker 23-7-52-4, L Joseph 11-2-34-0, Martin 32-11-60-0, Willett 15-7-27-2, Peters 2-0-8-0.
Position: Guyana lead Leewards by 86 runs with one wicket intact.
Umpires: Umpires: Joel Wilson, Danesh Ramdhanie.
