KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Reigning champions and tournament leaders, Guyana Jaguars, were eyeing their fifth straight victory after setting Jamaica Scorpion a daunting target and then taking three wickets before the close of the penultimate day of their fifth round match here yesterday.
Resuming on 133 for three in their second innings, Jaguars were dismissed for 282, with 19-year-old Tagenarine Chanderpaul stroking his maiden first class half-century.
Set 326 to win at Sabina Park, Scorpions stumbled to 82 for three at the close after off-spinner Steven Jacobs struck twice.
The hosts still require a further 244 for victory on what will be a challenging final day in the fifth round encounter of the Regional First Class Championship today.
Opener John Campbell struck 26 in a 35-run opening stand with captain Paul Palmer who made 14 before falling to a catch at the wicket off pacer Keon Joseph.
Campbell followed 12 balls later, lbw to Jacobs and Andre McCarthy, after helping to post 32 for the third wicket with Devon Thomas, was stumped off Jacobs for 16.
Thomas, the Antiguan in his first game for Scorpions, was unbeaten at the end on 20 not out from 48 balls with one six and was partnered by former captain Tamar Lambert who was yet to score off 17 deliveries.
Jacobs has taken two for 13.
Earlier, Chanderpaul top-scored with 81 and wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble got 35 as Jaguars produced a steady performance to place themselves in a match-winning position.
The 19-year-old left-handed son of Test star Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Tagenarine struck four fours and three sixes in a knock spanning 249 balls and nearly 5-1/4 hours.
Resuming on 39, he anchored a series of small partnerships along the way before he was sixth out at 220 on the stroke of lunch.
He extended his fourth wicket stand with Raymon Reifer (24) to 47 before adding 25 for the fifth wicket with Chris Barnwell (13) and a further 37 for the sixth wicket with Bramble.
Following Chanderpaul’s demise, the right-handed Bramble played his part, putting on 30 with Jacobs (11) for the seventh wicket before he was lbw to leg-spinner Damion Jacobs who finished with four for 78.
Bramble struck three fours off 75 balls.
Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller (2-48) and fast bowler Marquino Mindley (2-59) finished with two wickets apiece.
SCOREBOARD
JAGUARS 1st Innings 189
SCORPIONS 1st Innings 146
JAGUARS 2nd Innings
(overnight 133 for three)
T Chanderpaul c Jacobs b Cottrell 81
A Fudadin lbw b Mindley 9
*L Johnson c wkp Baugh b Jacobs 42
Vishaul Singh run out 17
R Reifer c wkp Baugh b Mindley 24
C Barnwell c wkpr Baugh b Jacobs 13
+A Bramble lbw b Jacobs 35
S Jacobs c Powell b Miller 11
V Permaul not out 16
G Motie c Cottrell b Miller 14
K Joseph c Miller b Jacobs 2
Extras (lb8, nb10) 18
TOTAL (all out, 99 overs) 282
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-83, 3-111, 4-158, 5-183, 6-220, 7-250, 8-265, 9-282, 10-282.
Bowling: Cottrell 11-0-39-1 (nb2), Mindley 14-1-59-2 (nb7), Jacobs 30-5-78-4 (nb1), Miller 24-9-48-2, Campbell 12-5-31-0, Powell 8-0-19-0.
SCORPIONS 2nd Innings (target: 326 runs)
J Campbell lbw b Jacobs 26
*P Palmer Jr c wkp Bramble b Joseph 13
D Thomas not out 20
A McCarthy st Bramble b Jacobs 16
T Lambert not out 0
Extras (nb7) 7
TOTAL (3 wkts, 36 overs) 82
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-48, 3-80.
Bowling: Reifer 7-3-11-0, Joseph 7-2-24-1 (nb7), Jacobs 10-3-13-2, Barnwell 3-0-11-0, Permaul 8-1-23-0, Motie 1-1-0-0.
Position: Scorpions require a further 244 runs with seven wickets intact.
Toss: Scorpions.
Umpires: Jacqueline Williams, Peter Nero.