GEORGETOWN, CMC:
GUYANA WERE forced to follow on against Jamaica on the third day of their fifth round Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series clash of reigning champions at Bourda yesterday.
At stumps Guyana were 40 for one wicket in their second innings, needing a further 111 runs to avoid an innings defeat after the Guyana first innings folded at 236, two runs short of the 238 required to avoid following on.
The not-out batsmen are opener Azeemul Haniff on 19 and Krishna Arjune 20.
The two came together in the first over after the rampant Jamaicans had sent back left-handed opener Sewnarine Chattergoon (0), the batsman completely misjudging the fourth ball of the second innings from fast bowler Darren Powell that clipped his off bail.
Earlier, middle-order batsman Andre Percival had hit a courageous undefeated 51 in Guyana's first innings after spending Saturday night under observation in a city hospital.
The plucky Percival, who slammed his second half-century of the season and his seventh in regional matches, and last man Naresh Roopnarine (21) almost helped Guyana save the follow-on in a last-wicket partnership of 33 before debutante Roopnarine played an injudicious stroke.
Travis Dowlin (48) narrowly failed to get his second consecutive half-century, while Jamaica's best bowler was off-spinner Gareth Breese, who finished with four for 74 from 34.3 overs.
Jamaica, dismissed for 387 in their first innings shortly after tea on Saturday, made an immediate breakthrough when play started Sunday morning, with medium pacer David Bernard trapping overnight batsman Lennox Cush (11) leg before wicket with the fifth ball of the first over without addition to his score and Guyana still on 70.
Promoted in the order because of the several injuries in the Guyana team, wicketkeeper Vishal Nagamootoo and Travis Dowlin, who resumed on six, steadied the innings with sensible batting and running between the wickets.
Dowlin, who hit a fine 74 against Barbados in the second innings at Albion in the previous game, again looked in good nick, straight-driving fast bowler Powell and on-driving him for boundaries.
The stocky Dowlin also drove the bustling Jerome Taylor and off-spinner Nehemiah Perry for sweetly timed fours through mid-off and mid-on respectively.
Dowlin however lost Nagamootoo after the two had added 59 in 96 minutes for the fourth wicket. Attempting an ambitious square cut, Nagamootoo got a faint touch into the hands of substitute wicketkeeper Leon Garrick to depart for 22.
Garrick was required to keep wicket after regular wicketkeeper Keith Hibbert injured his knee while attempting to gather the ball to effect a run-out of Dowlin, shortly after play started. He however returned to the field after the lunch interval.
There was more disaster for Guyana when Mahendra Nagamootoo (0), with the score unchanged, lost his off bail as he padded out to the second delivery he received from left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham, having done the same to the previous one.
Worse was to come as in the final delivery before lunch, skipper Neil McGarrell (3) went caught at silly mid-off by Brenton Parchment off the persevering Breese, leaving Dowlin 39 not out and Guyana on 134 for six.
Percival, who was examined at hospital with a reported heart condition, started tentatively after joining Dowlin but then opened up by hoisting Breese over long-on for six and spanking Cunningham through the covers for four.
Looking well set to complete his second consecutive half-century, Dowlin was undone by a full-length delivery from the lively Taylor and trapped lbw for 48 which included five fours in 192 minutes off 156 balls.
Haniff, who injured his finger on the opening day and was off the field for the entire second day, joined Percival but with the score on 191, was well caught by Hibbert from a delivery that turned and bounced from experienced campaigner Perry.
The usually dependable Rayon Griffith (2) never got going and offered Perry catching practice off his own bowling with Guyana still needing a further 35 runs to avoid the follow-on.
The homesters looked set to let Jamaica bat again as Roopnarine gave valuable support to Percival but after getting to 21 and sharing a last-wicket partnership of 33, Roopnarine played an ill-advised shot to Breese, skying a catch to mid-off where Garrick grasped an impressive running catch.
