CONTROLLED spin bowling from Anthony Adams, coupled with an authoritative innings from left-hander Chanderpaul Hemraj, enabled host Guyana to take first innings points over the Leeward Islands at the end of the first day of their first round match in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board/TCL Under-19 three-day competition at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday. Having bowled out their opponents for 107 from 29.2 overs 16 minutes after lunch in which Rahkeem Cornwall top-scored with 43, Guyana rebounded from the early loss of Kevon Boodie (0) in the second over of their innings, to reach 151 for 3, with Hemraj unbeaten on 72 and Crosse 30 at the close of play.
Scores in the match, Leeward Islands 107l Guyana  151 for 3.
When Leewards batted, Adams ended with 4 for 14 from 7.2 overs and received support from first class leg-spinner Amir Khan who took 3 for 39, as the visitors missed the opportunity to score heavily on a track that was conducive for batting, despite Cornwall’s robust innings.
In Guyana’s reply, Dominique Rikhi replaced Boodie and struck Archibald who had a no-ball problem for back-to-back fours through point, before Leeward Islands skipper Rahkeem Cornwall sent back Kandasammy Surujnarine (4) with his first delivery of the match, to leave Guyana on 22 for 2.
At tea, Guyana, who last won a title at this level in 2007 when the tournament was held in St Kitts under the captaincy of Steven Jacobs, were 54 for 3, having lost Rikhi who struck a full toss from Larry Audain to mid on when on 27, with Hemraj and Kwame Crosse on 12 and 0 respectively.
After tea, Crosse came off the mark with a four off Cornwall that pushed Guyana to 62 for 3, as the pair looked to repair the damage done by Cornwall and company who bowled four successive maidens during the period.
Two beautiful drives for four by Hemraj off Nino Henry, with the second one speeding past mid off, pushed Guyana to 89 for 3, while Crosse on-drove Henry down the ground for two to raise the 100 in the 43rd over of the innings.
Hemraj and Crosse raised their 50-partnership for the fourth wicket from 26.3 overs and 100 minutes batting, before Guyana took first innings points when Hemraj punched Reece through mid on for two, bringing a round of applause from his teammates inside the pavilion.
Deservedly, Hemraj reached his half-century when he punched Mentos past mid on for his seventh four from 115 balls while batting for 154 minutes. At the close of play, he shared an unbroken 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Crosse, as Guyana lead their opponents by 43 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Earlier in the day’s play, the Leeward Islands raced to 25 without loss, before Duan Webb was caught at the wicket by Boodie for 7 off skipper Ronsford Beaton, while his fellow opener Elijah Peters who also made 7, was run-out by Beaton attempting a cheeky single off Clinton Pestano.
They slipped to 27 for 3, when Akeem Saunders was adjudged lbw to Pestano for one, before their skipper Cornwall eased the shackles when he drove his opposite number Beaton past Gudakesh Motie at mid off for four to push his team to 38 for 3 after the first hour’s play.
Motie replaced Pestano at the Pavilion End while Joemal La Fleur took over from Beaton at the Media Centre End and saw his second delivery sailed over wide long on for six off the bat of the burly Cornwall as the Leewards raced to 47 for 3.
Cornwall raised his team’s 50 in the 14th over, when he struck Motie over long off for his second six and when Amir Khan, who along with Beaton toured with the West Indies Under-19 team to Florida last week, was introduced into the attack, Cornwall greeted him with a four and six over long on and long off respectively.
He followed it with an exquisite square cut through backward point for another boundary in the same over while Shaquille Martina, who was a spectator at the other end during Cornwall’s boundary-hitting display, joined the act and struck Anthony Adams for his first four through square leg.
Cornwall failed to reach his half-century, as he was well taken by Dominique Rikhi who ran from long on to wide midwicket and held the catch off Khan, to send the burly Leeward Islands skipper back into the pavilion after he faced 36 balls for his 43, hitting five fours and two sixes while batting for 36 minutes.
With Cornwall back in the pavilion, the home team bowlers’ confidence level rose and Khan struck in his next over, bowling Martina for a resilient 17.
Adams had a double strike in his sixth over, when he induced Audain (1) to hit one back to him. He also bowled Dymon Parris (0) two balls later, to leave the opposition on 90 for 7 in the 26th over, before rain stopped play at 11:50hrs, forcing the players to take an early lunch.
Play resumed after the lunch break at 13:08hrs and the Leeward Islands posted their 100 from 27.5 overs, but poor shot selection from their lower order batsmen did not help their cause as the home team routed them for 107 from 29.2 overs, 16 minutes into the second session.