PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Fit-again West Indies opener Adrian Barath stroked an accomplished, unbeaten half-century to spruce up his preparation for the Australia Test series and put Trinidad and Tobago in a strong position against Guyana here yesterday. The right-hander, in a race to be match-ready for the three-Test series starting early next month, finished the second day of the Regional Four-Day clash on 74 as T&T cruised to 158 for one at the Queen’s Park Oval.
Guyana had earlier converted their overnight 260 for six into 290, with veteran West Indies batsman Shiv Chanderpaul adding a mere one to his overnight 79.
Captain and medium pacer Rayad Emrit claimed three for 35 while fast bowler Shannon Gabriel ended with three for 64, leaving T&T’s batsmen with just over half hour to negotiate before the lunch break.
Openers Barath and Justin Guillen started positively, taking T&T into the break at 20 without loss before pushing on afterwards to add 73.
Guillen, dropped at forward short-leg by Chanderpaul Hemraj on 33, added just one more before falling to a catch at the wicket off left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.
Barath and Marlon Barclay, in only his second first class match, then settled down to resist the Guyana attack in a unbroken second-wicket partnership that has so far yielded 84 runs.
Barath has counted eight fours off 208 balls in 276 minutes at the crease while Barclay was unbeaten on 33, compiled in just under three hours batting, off 172 balls and including two fours.
Earlier, T&T pacers Gabriel and Emrit bowled superbly to take the last four Guyanese wickets for just 30 runs.
Wicketkeeper Derwin Christian fell to Emrit for 18 without a run added and two runs later, Chanderpaul fended a short ball from Gabriel to Guillen at gully, to also depart.
Permaul counterattacked for his 18 but perished attempting one big hit too many and holing out to Barath at mid-on off Emrit.