Omari Banks stroked an unbeaten half century and steered the Leeward Islands' batting against Guyana, on the opening day of their bottom-of-the-table fourth-round WICB Regional Four-day match yesterday.

Choosing to bat under cloudy skies at Grove Park, the Leewards compiled 225 all out and Guyana were 20 without loss in reply at stumps.

Banks top-scored for the Leewards with 65 not out while for visiting Guyana, the spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Davindra Bishoo combined for seven wickets. Permaul led the bowling with four for 42 off 16.3 overs and Bishoo picked up three for 34 off 16.

Chris Barnwell (15) and Shemroy Barrington (2) then took the Guyanese to within 205 runs of the Leewards' first innings score.

First to strike

The Leeward Islands had made solid use of their decision to bat first and racked up 98 runs in the first session for the loss of just one wicket.

Pacer Trevon Garraway, in his first game of the season, was first to strike and removed Shane Jeffers for 23. The left-handed Kittitian, who scored 41 against England in the touring team's first warm-up match earlier this week, drove a catch to cover after he had struck four boundaries in a 41-run opening stand with Montcin Hodge.

Captain Runako Morton joined Hodge and the pair achieved a half-century stand before lunch. Spinners Permaul and Steven Jacobs and pacer Esuan Crandon then combined for three wickets in the post-lunch session as the home side battled to 184 for four at tea. The attacking Morton fell to Jacobs at 113 for three, caught at forward short leg for 40. He struck four fours and a six off Permaul over long-off.