Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
Guyana's Travis Dowlin slips while batting against Jamaica, as wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jr. reacts, on yesterday's second day of the Carib Beer Series match at Chedwin Park, St. Catherine. - PHOTOS BY JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
TWO MONTHS and a few days after starting as one of the favourites to dominate the Carib Beer Series and to successfully defend both titles, Jamaica enter their final day of the preliminary round of the competition in danger of finishing empty-handed.
Already dethroned as the Cup champions, Jamaica, on 12 points from their previous four matches, began their final match of the preliminaries needing a victory, first innings points, or, depending on what happens in the other remaining matches, even three points to stand a chance of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the semi-finals of the Challenge Shield.
At stumps on yesterday's third and penultimate day of the contest against Guyana at Chedwin Park, however, Jamaica had already lost first innings points and based on what is happening in the other matches, they were in a position where they have to win in order to qualify.
JAMAICA'S FATE
With the scoreboard reading Guyana 314 and 114 for six, Jamaica 144, with Guyana already leading by 284 and all of today to go, the odds, based on the pitch and more so on Jamaica's batting throughout the season, are on Guyana to win and to seal Jamaica's fate.
Thanks to their bowlers and despite their fielders, Jamaica, however, are not out of it.
Depending on how quickly they can pick up the remaining four wickets, Jamaica, with a little luck, with attacking batsmen like Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels in their line-up and despite the pitch, could win the match and save their skin.
With Guyana boasting a lead of 170 but electing to bat instead of enforcing the follow-on, Jamaica, through offspinners Gayle, Gareth Breese and Samuels, cornered the visiting batsmen on a helpful pitch and with Ramnaresh Sarwan nursing an injured right index finger and batting at number eight, sent them back to the pavilion one by one with the scoreboard at one stage reading 65 for five in the 33rd over before captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 34 not out in 92 minutes off 83 deliveries, and Mahendra Nagamootoo, 11, stopped them in their tracks with a solid partnership of 40 off 19 overs.
Earlier in the day, Jamaica, resuming on 79 for six with captain Wavell Hinds on 16 and Breese on 12, added 65 runs in 130 minutes off 27.5 overs with Hinds scoring 49 before he was last man dismissed after batting for 271 minutes, facing 196 deliveries, stroking three fours and hitting one six - a hook to the square-leg boundary off fast bowler Reon King.
Bowling for Guyana, King, four for 19 off 15 overs overnight and bowling all 14 overs from the northern end, finished with five for 52 off 29 overs while right-arm legspinner Nagamootoo, one for 18 off 10 overs overnight and bowling all but the first two overs from the southern end, pocketed four for 42 off 21.5 overs.
SCOREBOARD
GUYANA 1st Innings 314 (S Chattergoon 75,S Chanderpaul 75; D Powell 3-45)
JAMAICA 1st Innings (overnight 79 for 6)
C Gayle c Sarwan b King 0
D Pagon b King 24
M Samuels lbw Crandon 9
T Lambert c&b Nagamootoo 8
W Hinds c King b Nagamootoo 49
D Bernard b King 1
+C Baugh c Arjune b King 2
G Breese c wkp Christian b N'mootoo 19
D Powell c Deonarine b Nagamootoo 1
J Taylor b King 17
J Lawson not out 0
Extras (b8, lb2, nb4) 14
TOTAL (all out - 75.5 overs) 144
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-19, 3-37, 4-45, 5-46, 6-48, 7-94, 8-96, 9-126.
Bowling: King 30-16-51-5, Crandon 19-7-37-1 (3nb), Nagamootoo 21.5-4-43-4 (1nb); Jafferally 5-3-3-0.
GUYANA 2nd Innings
S Chattergoon c Pagon b Lawson 2
K Arjune c Taylor b Gayle 19
N Deonarine c Lambert b Samuels 25
T Dowlin lbw Breese 6
S Chanderpaul not out 34
+D Christian c Gayle b Samuels 3
M Nagamootoo c&b Breese 11
R Sarwan not out 5
Extras (b5, lb1, 3nb) 9
TOTAL (for 6 wickets - 58 overs) 114
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-46, 3-59, 4-61,
5-65, 6-106
Bowling: Lawson 8-1-23-1; Powell 9-2-23-0 (3nb); Taylor 4-1-5-0; Gayle 9-3-13-1; Samuels 18-6-34-2; Breese 10-5-10-2.
Position: Guyana lead overall by 284 runs with four second innings wickets standing.
Umpires: Glenroy Johnson, Norman Malcolm.
