ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – A career-best spell from Clinton Pestano and a half-century from his captain Leon Johnson combined to give Guyana Jaguars the edge over Windward Islands Volcanoes in the West Indies Championship on Friday.

Pestano and veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Persammy shared seven wickets and led the demolition of the Volcanoes batting before Johnson and the Jaguars top-order tightened the visitors grip on the second day of the day/night, first round match at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

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At the same time, a determined half-century from Jonathan Carter propped up the Barbados Pride batting, as they made slow progress against Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the other day/night contest at the Three Ws Oval.

Jaguars (224) & 115-3 vs Volcanoes (187) in Gros-Islet, St. Lucia

Pestano ended with 4-46 from 14 overs and Veerasammy Permaul took 3-13 from 6.1 overs, as the Volcanoes were dismissed in the final hour before tea to conceded a 37-run, first innings lead.

Former WINDIES Under-19 star Alick Athanaze and veteran Delorn Johnson, batting at nine, made 34 each to be the joint top-scorers for the Volcanoes, after they resumed from their overnight total of 32 for two.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Denis Smith was the only batsman to reach 20 and shared 57 for the sixth wicket with Athanaze in the only significant stand of the innings.

Johnson followed up with 51 that included five fours and one six from 73 balls in 1 ½ hours to extend his side’s lead, sharing 63 for the second wicket with Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of WINDIES batting legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

The Jaguars captain and fellow left-hander Vishaul Singh were dismissed just prior to the close however, leaving Chanderpaul, not out on 29, and night-watchman Pestano, not out on zero, to bat through 10 minutes to the close.

Hurricanes (252) vs Pride 197-6 in Cave Hill, Barbados

Carter collected seven boundaries in 63 from 185 balls in just over three hours of batting, but the Pride chose discretion as the best part of valour and inched to within sight of a first innings lead.

Pride, starting the day on 12 without loss, stumbled to 43 for two, but Carter came to the crease and put on 69 in a dour, third-wicket stand with fellow left-hander, opener Anthony Alleyne that spanned 44 overs in three hours of batting.

Alleyne made 36, but his dismissal saw the Pride lose another three wickets cheaply before wicketkeeper/batsman Tevyn Walcott, not out on nine, and Hayden Walsh Jr, not on on seven, batted through until the close.

Jamaica-born, left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell has been the most successful Hurricanes bowler with 3-48 from 15 overs and fellow WINDIES fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, returning to competitive action following an injury setback, has taken 2-19 from 18 overs.