SKIPPER Travis Dowlin hit a stylish unbeaten century to push Guyana to a challenging total but three Windward Islands batsmen hit half-centuries as their side rallied on the second day of their final round Carib Beer Series match yesterday.

Resuming on 121 with Guyana on 312 for three, Dowlin reached 176 before Guyana were bowled out on the stroke of lunch for 396.

Windwards, led by half-centuries from Darren Sammy (65 not out), Devon Smith (58) and Miles Bascombe (54), reached 267 for three by the close, still 130 away from first innings points heading into the penultimate day today.

Play started with some confusion over the absence of West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul who was unbeaten on 78 overnight.

The player was not at the ground and it was later discovered he had reportedly left the country to attend a West Indies Players Association function in Trinidad & Tobago. He is expected back today.

Left-hander Gajanand Singh began the day with Dowlin and took the score to 362 with a 50-run partnership. Singh hit three fours in 14 before he was bowled by off-spinner Shane Shillingford.

The next six wickets tumbled for 34 runs as no one offered support to Dowlin who scored 65 of the 84 runs made by Guyana in the 107 minutes they batted yesterday.

Medium pacer Sammy snatched three wickets in the space of two runs as Guyana slumped to 379 for eight while Shillingford quickly removed Trevon Garraway (2) and Zaheer Mohamed (4) to wrap up the innings on the stroke of lunch.

Dowlin, who passed his previous highest score of 123 not out at this level, was left stranded 26 runs short of a double-century. Shillingford grabbed five for 115 while Sammy supported with three for 78.

In reply, Smith and Bascombe played attractively to push the Windwards to 104 before Dowlin removed Smith.

The 26-year-old Smith looked well set to post his 15th first-class century when he departed after hitting seven fours and a six in his run-a-ball 58.

Zaheer Mohammed, hampered by injury, bowled Bascombe in his second over to leave the visitors on 138 for two.

The 22-year-old Bascombe hit seven fours and a six in his second first class fifty. His innings lasted 125 minutes and 75 balls.

Andre Fletcher (29) was then trapped leg-before at 166 for three to the expensive leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo who appeared to be singled out for punishment by the batsmen.

Liam Sebastien, who was unbeaten on 42 at the end, joined forces with Sammy and carried the Windwards safely to the close with positive stroke-play, in a 100-run, unbroken fourth-wicket stand.

The 24-year-old Sammy has struck 10 fours from 110 balls in 114 minutes while left-hander Sebastien has hit four fours in 153 minutes off 113 balls. (CMC)