A rampant Carl Hooper stroked a masterly unbeaten hundred to gain his team a 77-run first innings lead on the third day of their Busta International Shield final against Jamaica at Sabina Park on Saturday. Before stumps were drawn, Jamaica wiped off the deficit and gained a 25-run lead with eight second innings wickets in hand. However, with only the final day's play left, it almost seems certain that their attempts to complete the Cup and Shield double will be thwarted this season.

Guyana, who began the morning at 149 for four, moved on to 170 before a struggling Ally-Haniff was finally snared by Jamaican off-spinner Gareth Breese. At that stage, the hosts looked all set to claim the first-innings lead.

But Hooper, who arrived next, took command immediately. The West Indian skipper telegraphed his intentions loud and clear when he hit Breese well beyond the long-off boundary. Even the dismissal of Ramnaresh Sarwan (40) with the score on 190 could not stifle him on a day that was to see him at his regal best.

He reached his 50 off 61 balls with a boundary. Neil McGarrell, who had replaced Sarwan, provided him good company during the period, adding 66 runs for the seventh wicket, before falling for 23.

Next man Mahendra Nagamootoo might have made just one, but he provided valuable support to Hooper, helping his captain add another 30 runs to their team's total. But with Hooper on the verge of a well-deserved hundred, Nagamootoo was dismissed thanks to an outstanding catch by Leon Garrick at square-leg.

Hooper, though, brought up his hundred in the company of No. 9 Colin Stuart. With the century in the bag, he decided to unleash his strokes and secure his team a healthy first-innings lead.

He hit four more sixes and three more boundaries on his way to an unbeaten 149 off 155 balls, putting Guyana in the box seat by the time they were dismissed for 354 in their first innings.

For Jamaica, Breese was the most successful bowler claiming four for 90. Left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham too had his share of the spoils, claiming three for 59.

With an outright win needed to secure the Shield, opener Chris Gayle got the home team's second innings off to a whirlwind start, making 54 off 73 balls and helping his team reach 96 for one before falling to Nagamooto's leg-spin. Wavell Hinds and Ryan Cunningham were the two not out batsmen when stumps were drawn.

Jamaica are now faced with the unenviable task of securing an improbable win on the final day. No wonder, then, that Hooper, despite nursing a slight finger injury, seemed quietly confident of his team's chances of lifting the Shield at the end of the day's play.

© CricInfo