BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s defiant half-century kept champions Guyana Jaguars afloat after seasoned Test seamer Kemar Roach grabbed four wickets to undermine the innings, on the opening day of their second round encounter here yesterday.

Sent in, the visitors reached the close on 209 for eight, with the left-handed Chanderpaul unbeaten on a marathon 66.

Kevin Sinclair chipped in with 43 batting at number eight while Chris Barnwell stroked a fluent 32, but Jaguars found the going difficult especially after losing key batsmen cheaply.

In fact, they were wobbling inside the first hour on 14 for three after Roach, who finished with four for 28, knocked over the top order in an incisive opening spell.

However Chanderpaul, batting in the same obdurate spirit that characterised  his father, Shivnarine’s 164-Test career, carried his side in a painstaking innings spanning just over 6-½ hours, 274 balls and including eight fours.

Test left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican supported with two for 17 from a frugal 13-over spell while part-time medium pacer Jonathan Carter picked up two for 31.

Sent in, Jaguars were in trouble as early as the third over when Roach removed Chandrapaul Hemraj (4) and captain Leon Johnson (0) in successive deliveries both caught at the wicket by Test gloveman Shane Dowrich.

And when left-hander Vishaul Singh found himself in a tangle and skied one to cover for six in the ninth over, the Jaguars innings lay in strife.

Chanderpaul then found an ally in Barnwell to add 53 for the fourth wicket, one of two half-century stands which underpinned the innings, as Jaguars dragged themselves to lunch on 61 for three.

Barnwell, unbeaten on 29 at the break, perished in the second over following the resumption when he drove loosely to Shayne Moseley at mid-off, after striking four fours in a 55-ball knock.

Barbadian Raymon Reifer then joined Chanderpaul to add a further 33 for the fifth to keep Pride at bay but had scored 20 off 35 balls with three fours when he missed a full-length delivery from Carter and was adjudged lbw at 100 for five.

Carter also removed Anthony Bramble cheaply for eight as Jaguars slumped to 108 for six but the key stand came when Chanderpaul and Sinclair combined to add 81 for the seventh wicket and frustrate the hosts.

The 20-year-old Sinclair struck six fours and a six in a knock off 103 balls which lasted nearly 2-½ hours, and his efforts saw Jaguars reach the tea interval at 134 for six.

However, he was one of two wickets which fell to Warrican in the same over in the final session, as Pride further tightened their grip.