DEFENDING Champions Guyana Jaguars are sitting pretty going into the final day of their WICB Professional Cricket League Regional Four-Day match against Leeward Islands Hurricanes, currently being played at the Guyana National Stadium.Today, Jaguars need seven wickets to complete an out-right win while the Hurricanes are trailing by 119 runs in their second innings after following-on in reply to the home side’s first innings total of 419 – 9 declared.
At stumps on day three Hurricanes are 215 – 3 from 74 overs with Nkruhmah Bonner unbeaten on 58 and Orlando Peters at other end on 25. Openers Sherwin Peters (39) and Shane Jeffers (31) gave Hurricanes a better start in the second innings before the latter was bowled by pacer Ronsford Beaton with the score on 50.
Peters and Daron Cruicshank batted well and took the score to 115, where the other opener fell leg before wicket to Christopher Barnwell. Cruicshank played a resistant innings of 57 but was removed leg before wicket by Gudakesh Motie.
Motie was the star of the day playing in his second Regional first-class match and claiming his first five wicket haul. His 6 – 20 from 13.2 overs was instrumental in the destruction of Hurricanes who folded for 85 from 47.2 overs in their first innings and were left facing a deficit of 334 runs.
Hurricanes began the third day on 48 – 4 since they lost Jeffers and Cruicshank to Barnwell, and Bonner and Orlando Peters to Motie in the final session on day two.
Motie tormented the lower order in the morning session after the partnership between Sherwin (28) and the captain Steve Liburd (23) was broken by Ronsford Beaton who removed both batsmen.
Rahkeem Cornwall (7), Jaison Peters (11), Jacques Taylor (00) and Gavin Tonge (00) all bowed out to the left-arm orthodox bowling of Motie as Barnwell chipped in with 2 – 5 and Beaton supported with 2 – 29.
The final day’s action begins at 9:30 hrs.

Guyana 1st innings 419 – 9 dec

LEEWARDS Hurricanes first innings
S Peters not out 15
S Jeffers c &b Barnwell 9
D Cruickshank lbw b Barnwell 0
N Bonner lbw b Motie 0
O Peters stp b Motie 0
S Liburd c Bramble b Beaton 23
R Cornwall lbw Motie 7
J Peters c Chandrika b Motie 11
J Taylor c&b Motie 0
G Tonge c John b Motie
A Joseph not out 0
Extras: (nb-3, b-3, w-1) 7
Total: (all out; 47.2 overs) 85
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-25, 3-26, 4-26, 5-57, 6-73, 7-73, 8-84, 9-84, 10-85
Bowling: Beaton (12-3-29-2), Reifer (7-3-7-0), Jacobs (9-3-21-0), Barnwell (6-4-5-2), Motie (13.2-7-20-6)

LEEWARDS Hurricanes 2nd innings
S Peters lbw Barnwell 39
S Jeffers b Beaton 31
D Cruickshank lbw Motie 57
N Bonner not out 58
O Peters not out 25
Extras: (nb-1, b-4) 5
Total: (for 3 wickets; 74 overs) 215
Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-115, 3-135
Bowling: Beaton 9-4-21-0, Reifer 4-0-18-0, Jacobs 18-3-64-0, Barnwell 13-4-38-1, Motie 28-10-64-1, Johnson 2-0-6-0

By Kizan Brumell