A gutsy seventh-wicket partnership between Jahmar Hamilton and Jacques Taylor did not only rescue the Leeward Islands Hurricanes from a perilous position but ensured the tourists took a marginal first innings lead when play ended on day two of the final round of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-day game at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, yesterday.

Taylor hit a resolute unbeaten 60, while Hamilton constructed a fighting 37 as the visitors closed the day on 255, a first innings lead of 68 runs.
Jeremiah Louis was the other not out batsman on 20, when bails were lifted.
Hamilton and Taylor had carried out a salvage operation after they had been thrust together with the visitors at 140-6,after the home attack had taken five wickets for 25 runs in the hour following lunch, including Montcin Hodge who topscored with a composed 70.
Left-arm seamer Ramon Reifer,who was the chief architect in the collapse during that period,was the most successful of the hosts’ bowlers with 4-47, while off-spinner Steven Jacobs and seamer Clinton Pestano chipped in with 2-52 and 1-51 respectively, as the host were kept in the field all day.

The visitors who began the day at 62-0, lost Chesney Hughes who could only manage to add eleven to his overnight 29 before he was taken at the wicket off Pestano,but fellow opener Hodge maintained his intent of frustrating the hosts.
Resuming on 32, the right-hander started off slowly but gained momentum as the innings progressed to reach his half-century off 174 balls in company with Kacey Carty.
The pair stood firm, and with the pitch seeming to have eased out considerably as compared to the first morning, the three-time champions were denied further success in the first session. At lunch the visitors were 110-1, with Hodge on 59 and Carty on nine.

Hodge got the second session going with a square-cut boundary off Permaul,but soon after the tourists’ batting disintegrated in dispiriting fashion, losing five quick wickets.
Reifer claimed the first three wickets in the session. Carty was caught behind, while Akeem Saunders was taken at short mid-wicket. Reifer then took the important wicket of Hodge who edged to first slip. Hodge faced 224 balls in an innings that had consumed 154 minutes and counted 12 fours.
Jacobs then removed Rakheem Cornwall, bowled between bat and pad without scoring before snatching the wicket of Sherwin Peters.

With the hosts’ successfully transferring the pressure, Hamilton and Taylor then combined to consolidate the innings with a steady stand which helped them recover and by the end of the session the visitors had equal the hosts first innings total.
Upon resumption they pair started to build a lead before Reifer broke the 71-run stand when he had Hamilton caught at the wicket.
Taylor’s fifty came off 107 balls and despite Guyana taking the second new ball, Taylor and Louis continued their defiant batting display until the close. Play resumes today at 10:00hrs.

GUYANA FIRST INNINGS 187
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 1st innings (o/n 62-0)
M Hodge c Johnson b Reifer 70
C Hughes c wkp Bramble b Pestano 40
K Carty c wkp Bramble b Reifer 10
A Saunders c Paul b Reifer 4
J Hamilton c wkp Bramble b Reifer 37
R Cornwall b Jacobs 0
S Peters c Sub (Motie) b Jacobs 5
J Taylor not out 60
J Louis not out 20
Extras: (w-1, nb-5, lb-3) 9
Total: (for seven wickets; 117 overs) 255
Fall of wickets: 1-79, 2-115, 3-125, 4-126, 5-129, 6-140, 7-211
Bowling: Reifer 25-9-47-4, Pestano 19-4-51-1, Jacobs 18-2-52-2, Paul 15-3-53-0, Adams 12-6-13-0, Permaul 28-15-36-0