BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – An unbroken 77-run, second-wicket stand between opener Rajindra Chandrika and left-hander Leon Johnson gave Guyana strong hope of chasing down a huge victory target of 378 in their second round Regional Four-Day match against Barbados here yesterday.
Chandrika was not out on 40 and Johnson unbeaten on 39, as the Guyanese reached 94 for one in their second innings at the close on the third day of the contest at Kensington Oval.
Earlier, Barbados declared their second innings on 235 for about half-an-hour after tea, after resuming the day nought without loss.
Opener Rashidi Boucher hit the top score of a career-best 81, Roston Chase made 49, Kraigg Brathwaite supported with 27 while Jonathan Carter weighed in with 25 and Shane Dowrich, 24.
Off-spinner Steven Jacobs was the most successful Guyana bowler with two for 49 from 17 overs.
The Guyanese suffered an early setback when opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the son of veteran West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, was lbw to seamer Christopher Jordan for nine.
However, Johnson stroked the ball with confidence, inspiring Chandrika and they put Barbadians on the back-foot.
Boucher had earlier struck seven fours and three sixes from 161 balls in close to three-and-a-half hours to anchor the Barbados batting.
He and Brathwaite gave the home team a solid start, putting on 55 for the first wicket before Jacobs made the breakthrough, when Brathwaite was caught behind for 27, edging a cut at a delivery.
Jacobs then had Barbados captain Kirk Edwards dismissed in the same method off the very next delivery for a duck, leaving the Barbadians 55 for two.
Barbados stumbled to 66 for three when Kyle Hope was caught at deep mid-on off left-arm spinner Veerasamy Permaul, the Guyana captain, for five.
A fourth-wicket stand of 51 between Boucher and left-hander Jonathan Carter stabilised the innings but fast bowler Ronsford Beaton made the breakthrough on the stroke of lunch, when he bowled Carter for 25, playing on, sinking Barbados to 117 for four.
After lunch, Chase joined Boucher and they continued to increase the Barbados advantage.
Boucher was eventually lbw to pacer Keon Joseph and Shane Dowrich was caught at slip off leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo for 24, as Barbados reached 210 for six at tea.
After the break, Chase’s inch towards his 50 grabbed centre stage, but he was denied when he was caught at mid-off from the bowling of Zaheer Mohammed for 49, prompting the home team’s declaration.
Mohammed has replaced Permaul in the Guyana side for the remainder of the match, after the left-arm spinner was drafted into the West Indies squad, which start preparations this week for their one-day series against Zimbabwe.
Guyana are currently third in the standings with six points, after taking first innings points over Leeward Islands in their drawn first round match, and Barbados are tied at the bottom with Combined Campuses & Colleges with no points following a 63-run loss in their opening match against Jamaica.
