A pair of crucial half-centuries from Guyana Harpy Eagles’ new captain, Kemol Savory, and Kevlon Anderson swung the momentum firmly in the Champs’ favor, leaving the Barbados Pride with a mountain to climb as play heads into Day 3 at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.
Guyana started Day 2 fresh, having restricted the Pride to 346 all out in their first innings.
Savory (95*) and Anderson (87*) put together a game-changing century partnership, rescuing the Harpy Eagles from a precarious position. When play concluded, the Eagles were well-placed at 315-3 after 87 overs, just 31 runs behind. This impressive 179-run stand helped stabilize the innings after a few early setbacks.
Savory, making his captaincy debut, will return to the crease on 95, aiming for his first century as skipper. He struck 14 fours and a six during his composed knock, guiding the team through the final phase of the day.
Anderson provided excellent support, contributing 87 from 125 balls, including 14 fours, and has set the stage for Guyana’s push forward on Day 3.
Top-order batsmen Tagenarine Chanderpaul (40), Vice-Captain Matthew Nandu (36), and Raymond Perez (46) all got starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores.
Despite mixed conditions that briefly helped the Bajan bowlers, leg-spinner Javed Leacock (1-45), off-spinner Chaim Holder (1-68), and fast-bowler Jair McAllister (1-58) struggled to maintain sustained pressure.
The morning session saw Chanderpaul and Nandu add 61 for the opening partnership, carefully navigating the tricky pitch. However, once the pacers failed to make breakthroughs, Holder’s spin accounted for Nandu, who lofted a delivery back to Holder, completing a superb catch off his own bowling.
Perez, looking in good touch, struck a few boundaries before being dismissed for 46, caught behind off McAllister, leaving the Eagles at 92-1 after 27 overs at lunch, still trailing by a significant 254 runs.
In the afternoon session, Chanderpaul and Perez looked to consolidate, running hard between the wickets and punishing any bad balls. But Chanderpaul was undone by Leacock’s flight, returning an easy catch to the bowler, while Perez fell just four runs short of a half-century, edging McAllister to the keeper.
With two set batsmen back in the pavilion, Savory and Anderson joined forces, steadying the ship with solid stroke-play and strong communication. Their partnership, which saw both players reach their half-centuries, applied immense pressure on the Bajans and helped close the gap on the first-innings deficit. Both are now poised to push for centuries, and they could reach that milestone as Day 3 unfolds.
Play resumes at 10:00h on Day 3, weather permitting. (Clifton Ross)
