OPENER Devon Smith fell agonisingly short of his 33rd first-class century, but despite his effort, the advantage is still with the Guyana Jaguars, as the hosts closes in on victory against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the end of the penultimate day yesterday at the National Stadium, Providence.

The tourists could only set a modest total of 165 for the hosts to chase, and at stumps on day three of the sixth round Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-day encounter, the title-holders were 104-4, 61 runs short of the victory target.
For the Volcanoes there was little to be positive about, although Smith did at least offer some resistance in their second innings, battling to 95, but it was generally another disappointed batting display, as they were bowled out for 241.

When the hosts chase began, they lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul off the sixth ball into the innings without scoring, before the demise of skipper Leon Johnson (12), Chanderpaul Hemraj (19) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11) during the final session of play, but any further hope the visitors had of making the Jaguars uncomfortable was withdrawn by Vishaul Singh and Anthony Bramble.

Singh remained unbeaten on 48 while Bramble is on ten.
Earlier, rain delayed the start of play by 45 minutes, with the tourists, batting a second time, resumed on 127-6, an overall lead of 50 runs.
Smith, who resumed on 49, immediately brought up his fifty with a boundary off left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul. The 36-year-old was joined by his nephew Dennis Smith at the start of the day’s play, and together they showed no signs of nerves, as they frustrated the home side for most of the session.

As the partnership flourished, both batsmen played freely, mixing caution with aggression before Permaul (2-79) brought an end to the 68-run stand when he had Dennis Smith trapped leg before wicket for a 74-ball 28, at 196-7.
Soon after, Smith was bowled between bat/pad by Gudakesh Motie (2-46), an innings which spanned 271 minutes, 185 balls, with seven fours and a six.
However, Shane Shillingford and Delorn Johnson survived until lunch at 214-8, with the visitors leading by 137.

After the interval, Keemo Paul (2-56) removed Johnson with the first delivery of the second new ball before rain intervened. Soon after the resumption, pacer Keon Joseph (2-29) claimed the final wicket of Shillingford for 26. Medium pacer Sherefane Rutherford (2-19) was the other successful bowler for the Jaguars.

After losing the 21-year-old Chanderpaul, leg before wicket to Johnson, Hemraj and Johnson took the hosts to tea at 23-1, but the Jaguars skipper was bowled by Johnson soon after the interval before Hemraj was trapped in front to Kyle Mayers.
However, both Chanderpaul and Singh were given chances, with the 43-year-old dropped on eight while Singh was put down when he was on 30 and 41, as the visitors bowlers bowled in the right areas and troubled the left-handed pair constantly.

But, the ever-reliable Chanderpaul was taken at first slip off Shillingford just before the close. Singh and Bramble then continued their defiance till the end. Play resumes today at 09:00hrs.

Windward Islands first innings 117; Guyana Jaguars first innings 184
Windward Islands Volcanoes 2nd innings (O/N 127-6)
D. Smith b Motie 95
T. Theophile c wk Bramble b Joseph 16
T. Gabriel b Rutherford 9
M. Bascombe lbw b Rutherford 9
R. Cato lbw b Motie 4
D. Hector lbw b Permaul 20
K. Mayers b Paul 11
Dennis Smith lbw b Permaul 28
S. Shillingford c Paul b Joseph 26
D. Johnson c Rutherford b Paul 6
S. Lewis not out 0
Extras: (nb-3, b-9, lb-3)
Total: (all out; 84.1 overs) 241
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-45, 3-56, 4-71, 5-102, 6-127, 7-196, 8-206, 9-236, 10-241
Bowling: Joseph 12.1-3-29-2, 18-3-56-2, Permaul 30-4-79-2, Rutherford 6-0-19-2, Motie 18-2-46-2

GUYANA JAGUARS 2nd innings
T. Chanderpaul lbw b Johnson 0
C. Hemraj lbw b Mayers 19
L. Johnson b Johnson 12
V. Singh not out 48
S. Chanderpaul c Devon Smith b Shillingford 11
A. Bramble not out 10
Extras: (nb-3, b-1) 4
Total: (four wickets; 32.4 overs) 104
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-28, 3-51, 4-88
Bowling: Johnson 7-1-24-2, Lewis 8-1-30-0, Mayers 7-3-20-1, Shillingford 10-0-25-1, Theophile .4-0-4-0