Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 03, 2014 Sports
By Sean Devers in Trinidad
In Association with Digicel, Carib Beer, Giftland Office Max, Payless Varity Store & Leisure Inn & Car Rentals
Carnival is scheduled for March 3 & 4 but last night it was like ‘Carnival come early’ as the largest crowd of the tournament, dancing to pulsating Soca Music, created a fantastic atmosphere and passionately urged the home team on.
But by the time the dust had settled Trinidad & Tobago had slipped to a 28-run victory over arch-rivals Barbados under lights at the Queens Park Oval in the NAGICO Regional Super50 cricket competition.
A cultured 109 from Man-of-the-Match 26-year-old Jonathon Carter, who faced 111 balls in his second List ‘A’ century with nine fours and five sixes, along with a swashbuckling 83 aided by 10 fours and three sixes from 30-year-old Dwayne Smith, propelled Barbados to 269-8 off their allotted 45 overs. Ryad Emrit took 4-50.
The then visitors restricted Trinidad & Tobago to 241 although Denesh Ramdin (48*), Darren Bravo (40) and Lendl Simmons (37) offered token resistance to left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn who captured 4-39 and Jason Holder 3-29.
Barbados won the toss in the match reduced to 45 overs due to a 105-minute late start due to overnight and morning rain. Smith and Kraigg Brathwaite took the score to 26 with Smith starting in his usual pugnacious fashion.
He was especially severe on Ravi Rampaul. But Skipper Dwayne Bravo bowled Brathwaite (2) with a beauty that jagged back into the right-hander in the fourth over as Trinidad and Tobago, the most decorated team in Regional 50-over cricket with 10 titles, made the break through.
Smith entertained the fans with an array of audacious shots, while Rashidi Boucher, who greeted pacer Kevon Cooper for two gloriously driven consecutive cover boundaries, was not to left out of the party.
The pair brought up the Bajan 50 in 8.2 overs before Boucher (13) was trapped LBW to leg-spinner Imran Khan with the score on 57-2.
The explosive Smith, who scored a robust ton on his Test debut in South Africa, reached his 20th List ‘A’ fifty with a nonchalant six off Khan. His 50 came from 39 balls eight fours and two sixes.
Carter gathered three boundaries in two overs off Ryad Emrit before Smith clobbered Cooper back over his head for six as the pair put together 103 for the third wicket in quick time to the dismay of the vocal flag-waving fans that produced a Sea of red beyond the boundary.
The left-handed Carter reached his 50 from 67 balls, decorated with six fours and a six, but soon after Smith, who faced 73 balls, lofted Emrit to long off to leave Barbados on 160-4 in the 29th over.
Skipper Kevin Stout was bowled for a duck by Emrit without addition to the score and the Carib Girls in the Trini Possie were dancing in the stands.
However, Carter continued to bat positively and was dropped by Darren Bravo off Emrit on 82 at 211-4. Carter added insult to injury by hooking a high full toss from Emrit into the stands.
Carter soon became the second centurion for the tournament and only the second non Trinidadian to reach three-figures on this ground. He reached his hundred from 106 balls and was aided by seven fours and five sixes and added 91 with Shane Dowrich (35) for the fifth wicket.
Barath and Evin Lewis took their team to 24 before Holder removed Barath (10) to a low catch at third man as he slashed at the towering fast bowler who had Lewis (13) caught behind in the same over four runs later.
Darren Bravo and Simmons tried to repair the damage and 50 was posted in the 14th over. Bravo dumped Benn for effortless sixes in consecutive overs and exquisitely square driving Stout for four before he was bowled by Benn for 40 from 40 balls with four fours and two sixes.
Dwayne Bravo (16) was LBW to Benn as the hosts slipped 113-4 before Simmons hit Ashley Nurse for consecutive fours to keep hopes alive but when he was bowled by Benn for 37, the smiles were fast disappearing from the faces of the Trini supporters and contest was as good as over despite Ramdin’s last minute effort.
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