When stumps were drawn on the penultimate day of their seventh round WICB four-day cricket match at the Guyana National Stadium, the visitors were 14-1 from three overs after taking a first-innings lead of 128 when Guyana were dismissed 30 minutes before the close for 402.

T&T, who made 530-8 declared in their first innings, finished the penultimate day with a lead of 142 to set-up what could be an intriguing final day today as Guyana battle to avoid their fifth outright defeat in their sixth match of the series.

Deonarine, an elegant left-hander with four Tests and 69 First-Class matches to his name, batted with the maturity, assurance and flair which fans have come to expect from the gifted but inconsistent 25-year-old. His fifth first-class ton and fourth at the regional level, came from 286 balls, 384 minutes.

His highest first-class score of 143 was decorated with nine fours and four sixes and by the time he was last out at 16:30hrs, Guyana, chasing a 380 follow-on target, had registered their first 400-plus total this season.

Deonarine’s innings was laced with an array of scintillating cover drives and back cuts and he used his trademark slog-sweep to telling effect against the spinners. Deonarine added 107 for the ninth wicket with fellow- Albion player Davendra Bishoo to frustrate the visitors after Guyana had lost three wickets for 29 runs.

Bishoo, who made 28 against Jamaica as night watchman in the last game, looked far more accomplished than his first-class average of 6.5 suggests and his level-headed batting must be inspiration for an inexperienced team struggling with the mental aspects of first-class cricket.

The leg-spinner arrived at the crease with his team still 69 away from saving the follow-on and by the time he was leg before to off-spinner Sherwin Ganga at 399-9, he had contributed 39 well-compiled runs to the valuable partnership. He batted 96 balls, 106 minutes and struck five fours in his highest first-class score after being dropped by Daren Ganga off his brother Sherwin, on 35 at 381-8.

Guyana resumed the day on 145-2 with Deonarine, (whose last ton at this level was his previous highest regional first-class score of 136 not out against Barbados at Everest in November 2005) on 15. Leon Johnson was with him on 19.

Every team Guyana has played this season has declared against them after posting 300-plus totals while the Guyanese have failed to avoid the follow-on target twice.

With the biggest crowd since the team returned home watching yesterday, Guyana produced committed batting I their attempt to pass the daunting follow-on target in sweltering heat.

When Johnson (who was struck on his shoulder by Ravi Rampaul) again failed to build on a good start and was caught at short-leg for 33 from 118 minutes, 99 balls with five fours, off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth had broken the 60-run third wicket partnership to leave the score on 166-3.

Six runs later, Jaggernauth removed Travis Dowlin (1) to a bat/pad catch after the Guyana Captain was dropped by Daren Ganga off Jaggernauth before he has scored.

Royston Crandon, back in the middle order where he has scored three fifties this season after being scarified as opener when he failed twice in the last match, looked composed and along with Deonarine saw Guyana to lunch at 218-4 with Deonarine on 51 and Crandon on 21.

After the interval, Crandon edged pacer Atiba Alert to the keeper to end his 68-ball and 82-minute innings with Guyana on 239-5 on a flat track and fast outfield.

Steven Jacobs (12) got going with an audacious cover driven boundary off Jaggernauth and then clipped Alert off his legs for four but edged a loose cut to leg-spinner Imran Khan to the keeper. Derwin Christian (0) was taken at short leg off Khan without addition to the score and Guyana had slipped to 262-7.

While Jacobs flattered to deceive, Christian, who scored a brilliant maiden century in the last round, continues to blow hot and cold and his fourth duck in the competition is now the most by any batsmen this season.

Esuan Crandon’s batting has been a major let down in the lower order this season and yesterday he again never suggested permanence before he was removed by Jaggernauth for 12 at 291-8 leaving the task of getting Guyana past the follow-on target on Deonarine who made his debut at this level nine years ago.

Deonarine reached his century with consecutive boundaries off Khan and was dropped by the keeper off Rampaul on 106 at 333-8 and Ganga took the second new ball after 114.2 overs with the score on 340-8.

Bishoo looked technically sound and got behind the ball while driving fluently once it was pitched up and showed plenty of potential to develop into a genuine all-rounder.

From 321-8 at tea, Guyana batted positively after the break before Bishoo and Deonarine departed in the space of three runs as Guyana were finally bowled out 90 minutes into the final session. Khan took 4-92 while Ganga had 2-25 and Jaggernauth 3-97.

First innings centurion Lendl Simmons hammered Esuan Crandon for four off the first ball of the T&T second innings but was trapped leg before three balls later at 4-1.

Night watchman Samuel Badree smashed Crandon for two fours in his unbeaten nine while Justin Guillen is on one with T&T looking to bat aggressively before declaring in the first session today to give themselves a chance of dismissing Guyana twice.

But with the pitch offering little help and the Guyana batting showing improvement since their return home with two 300-plus totals, only a combination of sensational bowling and atrocious batting should prevent the game from ending in a draw.

In his second match as new coach, the presence of Rabindranauth Seeram seems to be making a positive mental difference with some of the batsmen and if this continues today the Guyanese should deny the team from Carnival Country spoiling their Mashramani day mood as their country celebrates its 39th Republic anniversary.