Christian strengthens Guyana

Derwin Christian led a rearguard fight to put Guyana within reach of first-innings points against Combined Campuses & Colleges in Barbados. Christian was unbeaten on 47 as Guyana reached 237 for 8 before bad light stopped play 18 overs early on a rain-affected second day. Narsingh Deonarine had led the top-half of the batting with his 49, supported by Leon Johnson's 46. But the Guyanese batting was undermined by purposeful bowling from CCC, with Kevin McClean picking up 3 for 47. Khismar Catlin and offspinner Ryan Austin finished with two wickets apiece. Earlier, CCC, resuming on 262 for 8, could only add three runs before being bowled out.

Guyana made a steady start to their chase before McClean removed openers Shemroy Barrington and Krishna Arjune. Johnson and Deonarine took Guyana to lunch on 74 for 2 but after adding 78 for the third wicket, Johnson was caught at short leg by Nekoli Parris off Austin. Left-hander Deonarine inched closer to his 50 before McClean trapped him lbw. When Christian came on shortly after tea, Guyana were at 163 for 5, but slipped to 181 for 7, after Royston Crandon was caught behind off Catlin for 7. Esuan Crandon fell cheaply, caught at cover. An eighth-wicket stand of 35 between Christian and Davindra Bishoo stabilised the innings, and even after Bishoo fell, bowled by Jamel Noel, Veerasammy Permaul joined Christian to take Guyana through to stumps.

Sulieman Benn's half-century was the only bright spark on a rain-disrupted second day - less than two hours of play took place - between Windward Islands and Barbados in Grenada. Benn struck 76 to help propel Barbados to 389 for 8, after they resumed on their overnight score of 305 for 7. Unbeaten on 39 overnight, Benn hit eight fours and one six in his 108-ball innings, and shared a eighth-wicket stand of 94 with Kemar Roach, who remained unbeaten on 49. Roach took 69 balls and hit five fours and a giant six over long-off, off medium-pacer Deighton Butler late. The visitors reached 352 for 7 in the morning before showers halted play. When the game finally resumed, offspinner Shane Shillingford picked up his fourth wicket in the brief 45-minute period, bowling Benn.

Jamaica could manage three wickets against Trinidad and Tobago on another day ruined by rain. From their overnight 145 for 4, T&T stuttered to 189 for 7 when rain stopped play before lunch in Port of Spain. Jamaica began positively when legspinner Odean Brown removed Sherwin Ganga and wicketkeeper Gibran Mohammed off consecutive balls. Ganga could added only three to his overnight score of 4, after Danza Hyatt clutched a bat-pad chance at silly mid-on, while Mohammed fell first ball, caught behind by Keith Hibbert. Richard Kelly prevented the hat-trick and with Darren Bravo took the score to 172 for 6, before rain stopped play for an hour. The pair had a seventh-wicket stand of 38, but Bravo was trapped lbw by Gavin Wallace just before another stoppage.

There was further bad news for T&T, because the allrounder Rayad Emrit has been ruled out of action for six weeks after breaking his left arm during an indoor net session. Emrit, 27, was batting during a rain break on day one of this match when the incident occurred. "Rayad's experience as well as ability will be sorely missed," T&T manager Colin Borde said. "It is really unfortunate for him as he has worked extremely hard over the six months. He is a strong character and will bounce back well."

Emrit will likely miss T&T's next five matches in the regional first-class competition.