Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

Jamaica's skipper Wavell Hinds congratulates Jermaine Lawson for taking a wicket in their Carib Beer Series cricket match against Guyana at Kensington Park yesterday. Lawson took seven wickets. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

The regional Carib Beer Series cricket match between Jamaica and Guyana at Kensington Park comes to an end today with the home team, powered by an impressive seven-wicket haul by fast bowler Jermaine Lawson, riding high and heading for victory.

At stumps on yesterday's third and penultimate day's play, the scoreboard read: Guyana 205 and 217 for eight; Jamaica 375.

With the visitors leading by only 47 runs with only two wickets in hand, with all of today to come, it seems that only something unusual or plenty rain could prevent the home team from notching their first victory of the season.

Bowling from the north, then from the south, and then from the north again, Lawson, the man who bowled Jamaica to first innings points against the Windward Islands in St. Lucia last week with figures of six for 70, equalled his career-best figures for number of wickets taken and in the process almost single-handedly destroyed Guyana to leave his team on the doorstep of victory.

Fast and accurate

Bowling fast and accurately for 17 overs in three spells, the big man from St. Catherine CC ripped out seven Guyanese, including their captain and star batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan for 61 at a personal cost of 76 runs with Nikita Miller, twirling his left-arm spinners from the southern end, picking up the other wicket to fall.

Trailing by 170 runs with two sessions and a few minutes plus one day to go when they began their second innings, Guyana got off to a disappointing start when, in the last over to lunch - the third of the innings - Lawson, bowling from the north, rocked back Azeemul Haniff's off-stump at 11 for one with the left-hander, playing defensively late in getting across his wicket.

Shortly after the interval, it was 33 for two when the left-handed Narsingh Deonarine eased his left-foot forward and drove Lawson straight to captain Wavell Hinds in the covers.

With Lawson switching ends and running in from the south, it was 67 for three when Royston Crandon, the brother of Esaun Crandon, went back, hurriedly tried to get his bat down, failed to do so and was destroyed for 15 by a short, low delivery that shot into his pad.

Fortunately for Guyana, the next batsman in was Sarwan, and when he went back and drove the first delivery from Lawson confidently to the cover boundary, it was obvious that he was in good form.

With Sewnarine Chattergoon standing firm for 158 minutes and 96 deliveries after opening the innings, Guyana posted 57 for the fourth wicket before Chattergoon, on 51, misjudged the line of a delivery from Miller, left the ball alone and in response to the loud appeal for leg before wicket by the Jamaicans, umpire Cecil Fletcher lifted the dreaded finger.

That was 124 for four, and when Travis Dowlin went back to Lawson and was leg before wicket for one it was 135 for five; when Sarwan, after facing 130 deliveries and stroking seven majestic boundaries, attempted to cut Lawson and was bowled off the inside edge for 61, it was 198 for six; when Mahendra Nagamootoo was bowled first ball it was 198 for seven; and when Esaun Crandon swung at Lawson and was bowled for six, it was 203 for eight and Guyana were sinking.

Resuming on 306 for six after cruising into the lead on the second day, Jamaica, thanks to Carlton Baugh Jr. and Brown with 43 and 20 respectively, moved into a commanding position before they were dismissed 23 minutes before lunch.

GUYANA 1st Innings 205 (N Deonarine 69; A Richardson 3-21)

JAMAICA 1st Innings

(306 for six overnight)

B. Parchment c Dowlin b King