Cricket with Dalchand Bissoon

Guyana Jaguars continue to lead in the WICB four-day tournament after defeating Barbados Pride by four wickets in their seventh round match last Monday at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Guyana, chasing a victory target of 333, reached 335 for six wickets with half-centuries from Narsingh Deonarine, 90, Shiv Chanderpaul, 64 and opener Rajendra Chandrika, 60, helping Guyana to produce the second-highest successful run chase in regional cricket.

Deonarine came from 130 balls with seven fours and four sixes and shared in a 146-run fourth wicket partnership with veteran Chanderpaul who scored 64 from 92 balls with five fours and one six.

At the fall of Chanderpaul and Deonarine wickets, Barbados allrounder Raymond Reifer finished the match for Guyana with a six in his unbeaten knock of 41.

Final scores were Barbados 312, Guyana 221, Barbados 241 for six wickets declared and Guyana 335 for six wickets at the close. Barbados captain Kraigg Brathwaite became the second Barbados player to score a century in both innings of a regional first-class game. He struck 102 in the first innings and 112 in the second.

In the other two seventh-round matches, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force crushed Jamaica Franchise by 179 runs inside three days last Sunday at Sabina Park, Jamaica.

Scores: T&T 277 and 184 for four wickets; Jamaica 167 and 177 all out.

Windward Islands Volcanoes trounced last placed Leeward Islands Hurricanes by nine wickets last Sunday, at Beausejour Stadium, St. Lucia.

Leeward Islands, sent in to bat, scored 161 and in their second innings 170. Windward Islands in reply scored 249 and 84 for one wicket.

The points table at the end of the seventh round: Guyana 107, Barbados 82, Windward Islands 80, Jamaica 60, Trinidad & Tobago 47 and Leeward Islands 17.

The competition continues with the eighth round scheduled for March 6 to 9 with these matches: Guyana vs Jamaica at Providence Stadium, Guyana.;Trinidad & Tobago vs Windward Islands at the National Cricket Centre, Gouva, Trinidad and Leeward Islands vs Barbados at a venue to be announced.