Shivanarine Chanderpaul, underlined his superiority as one of the world's top batsman, when he notched an unbeaten century, to lead Guyana to the verge of victory against the Leeward Islands, on the third day of Round Six in the Regional Four-Day tournament at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, yesterday. The left-handed Chanderpaul hit a 105, as cellar-placed Guyana chasing the Leewards' first innings total of 192 was dismissed for 287 to establish a 95-run-lead. The Leewards batting a second time were routed for 192, leaving Guyana 98 runs for victory.
In pursuit of their first outright Regional Four-Day win since 2008, Guyana closed on 49 for three. They still need a further 49 runs for victory on the last day, with seven wickets intact. Chanderpaul is unbeaten on seven and Assad Fudadin one. Pacer Brent Defreitas bagged two for 27. Guyana quickly lost the wickets of Rajendra Chandrika (0), Sewnarine Chattergoon (9) and Gajanand Singh (26) but Chanderpaul and Fudadin saw them safely to the close without any further loss. In the Leewards' second innings Omari Banks topscored with 49, while Wilden Cornwall contributed 46. Devindra Bishoo was the top bowler for Guyana with four for 46, Esaun Crandon had three for 34 and Veerasammy Permaul two for 54.
Chanderpaul returning from a thumb injury he sustained in the Test series against Australia last December, batted for 352 minutes, faced 270 balls and scored 11 fours. It was Chanderpaul's 14th Regional hundred and his 52nd First-Class century. The Leewards started at a brisk pace with opening batsmen Montcin Hodge and Kieran Powell scoring at will against the Guyanese opening attack. However, after they posted 56 for the first wicket, Hodge was run out by? Chattergoon for a well played 29. And one-run later, Garvin Williams (0) did not last long snapped up by Assad Fudadin at first slip off left-arm spinner Permaul.
More woes came to the Leewards' dressing room when at the stroke of lunch Powell (21) was bowled by Permaul to leave the opposition in a spot of bother on 66 for three at the break. On the resumption, skipper Steve Liburd and? Banks took the fight to the Guyanese spinners. The duo took the team past the arrears, however at 98, Liburd (16) was caught by Rajindra Chandrika at square-leg off right-arm leg-spinner Bishoo. Banks was joined by Cornwall and they added 65 in 64 minutes, before the former was trapped in front to Esaun Crandon for 49, which came off 98 balls in 114 minutes and included three fours and a six.
The Leewards went to tea in the precarious position of 164 for five, with Cornwall unbeaten on 36. After the break, Crandon accounted for Cornwall who made 46, caught by? Chattergoon, as the Leewards slipped in to further trouble on 182 for six. The burly Cornwall batted 91 minutes, 76 balls and hit six fours. Earlier, Guyana resumed on 266 for nine, with Chanderpaul on 89. Chanderpaul reached his century with a spanking cover drive off? Defeitas for four. It came in 347 minutes off 266 balls with 10 fours.The innings ended when Bess (3) was caught at mid-on by Dennison Browne off? Cornwall. Spinner Anthony Martin was the leading bowler for the Islanders with figures of four for 55 from 30 overs.
