THE Guyana Jaguars reinforced their status as the region’s best first class cricket team and continued to be a formidable force at that level with a comfortable eight-wicket win over the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the completion of the fourth round Cricket West Indies Regional four-day encounter yesterday.

An admirable team effort enabled the four-time defending champions remain unbeaten this season. Pacemen Keemo Paul bagged his first-ever 10-wicket haul (10-129) to set up the crushing win for the Jaguars. He claimed 6-57 in the first innings and ended with 4-72 in the second.

For the Volcanoes, Captain Kirk Edwards made a defiant 139 and Denis Smith a fighting 67, but the tourists were always under pressure after they were asked to follow on.

Resuming on 167-3, 78 runs behind to avoid an innings defeat, Edwards and Smith were the only two batsmen to salvage some self-respect on the final day as the Volcanoes were bowled out for 361, setting the Jaguars a small target of 117.

The Jaguars then prospered under little pressure from a dispirited opposition to reach 121-2.

Shimron Hetmyer made a 29-ball 61 in the run chase. However, Tagenarine Chanderpaul was left unbeaten on 24 with Leon Johnson on eight when the victory came off 18.3 overs.

Overnight on 40, the right-handed Edwards drove Paul for a straight boundary and then guided him to the third man region before reaching his fifty from 93 balls with eight fours.

However, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie provided the breakthrough with the fifth ball of his spell when he had Kavem Hodge taken at the wicket for ten. He then trapped Alick Athanaze leg before wicket in his next over but Edwards, Volcanoes’ main batting hope, continued to bat positively.

He brought up his tenth first-class hundred from 161 balls which contained 12 boundaries and two sixes, and in the process erased the 245-run deficit, but the return of Paul immediately reaped success when he trapped Edwards leg before wicket. His innings’ spanned 186 balls in 187 minutes with 21 fours and two sixes.

At lunch, the Volcanoes were 299-6, a lead of 54 runs. Upon resumption, Paul uprooted the off-stump of Shermon Lewis before he had Ray Jordan taken at second slip by Trevon Griffith.

Left-arm spinner Motie then removed Josh Thomas without scoring but Smith helped himself with a series of attacking strokeplay, including three consecutive boundaries off Paul to move closer to his half- century.

He then brought up the landmark with his eight boundary before he was run out, but not before he shared a last-wicket stand of 40 with Larry Edwards.

Griffith and Chanderpaul then added 32 for the first-wicket, before the left-handed Griffith wasted another opportunity, being bowled behind his back by Thomas for 12.

Hetmyer then joined Chanderpaul and made Providence look ideal for batting with some brutal hitting, registering his fifty off just 25 balls with five fours and four sixes, as the Jaguars sprinted towards victory.

Being too ambitious, the left-handed Hetmyer was taken at long-off just before the winning target was achieved. Anthony Bramble won the man-of-the-match award.

The fifth round action starts on Thursday with the Jaguars playing hosts to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Providence Stadium..