NAGICO Regional Super50 cricket…Bajans beat T&T by 17 runs to take title & Clive Lloyd Trophy

Feb 16, 2014 Sports

By Sean Devers in Trinidad 
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Friday was Valentine’s Day but yesterday was designated ‘National Red Day’ in Trinidad as the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) asked the Nation to wear Red in support of the National cricket team called the Red Force.
The capacity crowd of over 15, 000 at the Queens Park Oval readily obliged and the created a sea of red in the stands, producing a Carnival-like atmosphere, but Barbados showed their 28 runs victory in the zone stage was no fluke with a 17-run win in the Final of the NAGICO Regional Super50 tournament.

Simmons is bowled by Carlos Braithwaite.

The Tassa drums rolled, horns were blown, the flags waved and the fans danced non-stop in the Trini Posse stand, passionately urging T&T to a win, which was not to be despite a thrilling last minute fight back by the home team.
In the 27th clash between the arch rivals at this level, the Bajans achieved their 17th win to capture their sixth title and the coveted Clive Lloyd Trophy.
The Bajans put together 252 in 48.4 overs with the 30-year-old Dwayne Smith hitting a thunderous 83 with 10 fours and two sixes.  The 21-year-old Kraigg Braithwaite supported with an intelligent 63-ball 37 and shared in a record century opening stand with Smith, while Jonathon Carter (49 from 51 balls) also contributed to the Bajan cause.
Kevon Cooper (4-62), Sunil Narine (2-18) and Lendl Simmons (2-23) had good bowling performances to bring T&T back in game.
Trinidad & Tobago in reply reached 235 from 45.5 overs with 28-year-old Denesh Ramdin offering spirited resistance with a fighting  68 from 78 balls and a rearguard unbeaten 27 from Rayed Emrit on the lightening fast outfield.  But good bowling from Carlos Braithwaite (4-41), Jason Holder (2-30) and Suleiman Benn (2-29) got their side over the line.
Barbados won the toss and elected to bat in glorious sunshine and the partisan crowd watched the pugnacious Smith and the watchful Braithwaite put on 127 on a good cricket track.
Smith scored the first boundary with a mistimed drive off Dwayne Bravo but corrected that with a majestic cover-driven boundary next ball before swiveling and pulling Rampaul into the crowd.

The sold-out crowd came out in Red to support their team.

In the same over Evin Lewis, on the square-leg boundary put down a sitter when Smith (22) repeated the shot and the massive crowd knew a contest was on hand.
Braithwaite got going with a firm push to the cover boundary off Rampaul, while Smith greeted Rayed Emrit with a thumping four and cut him magnificently for consecutive boundaries to post the 50 in nine overs and silence the crowd.
Sunil Narine was introduced and Smith counterattacked him, while Braithwaite sensibly defended.  Smith,  holder of the record for fastest Regional limited overs 50, waded into Cooper and smashed him for two murderous boundaries to bring up his 13th 50-over fifty for Barbados off 47 balls with seven fours and a six.
Smith, oozing confidence, reversed swept Narine for four and then clobbered Bravo for a four and a six to take the score to 102, equaling the highest opening partnership against T&T set by Dale Richards and Patrick Browne in 2007.
Brathwaite, who reached the boundary three times, then touched one to the Keeper off Simmons as the breakthrough was finally made at 127-1 in the 23rd over.
Carter, which a hundred under his belt in the tournament, joined Smith who was soon removed by Simmons when 17 short of his maiden ton as Barbados slipped to 132-2.
Smith’s demise sparked a bacchanal at the Oval and the Fire Service was forced to deny ticket holders’ entry due to packed stands.
Kevin Stoute and Carter brought up the 150 in the 29th over with Carter striking Emrit for successive fours to post the 50 partnership from 50 balls.  The 26-year-old Carter was removed by Narine at 195-3 although the ‘doosra’ would have missed the leg stump according to TV replays.

Dwayne Smith goes after the T&T attack in his explosive 83.

The Bajans lost another wicket at 206-4 when Stoute (15) had his middle stump plucked out by Cooper who soon trapped Carlos Braithwaite (9) LBW before Cooper, whose action raised eyebrows, removed Shane Dowrich for one.
When Kenroy Williams (1) fell to Yannick Ottley and Narine removed Jason Holder (5) Barbados had lost six wickets for 23runs to slump to 218-8.
Benn (22*) pushed Cooper for six but Ashley Nurse (11) missed a wild swipe at Ravi Rampaul and was bowled at 241-9, while Fidel Edwards (1) was cleaned up by Cooper.
When T&T began their chase Simmons fended at Holder and was dropped by Williams at second slip on two, while Lewis went after the bowling from the onset and two majestic covers drives from the left-hander off Edwards brought a resounding roar from the raucous crowd.
The atmosphere was charged and when the Bajans’ appealed for a caught behind off Holder and Simmons were given not out, loud boos echoed round the ground. Simmons responded with a riveting pull of Holder that reached the boundary like a bullet and there was pandemonium at the Oval.
Holder eventually removed Lewis (27) caught at third man after edging just over the head of Williams at slip as the break-through came at 51-1, while Ottley (0) played an impetuous pull and was taken off Holder at 62-2.
Simmons and Darren Bravo revived the position with entering stoke-play and a stupendous cover drive from Bravo was out of the top drawer but Simmons was bowled by Braithwaite at 57-3 and pendulum had swung again.
The Bravos joined forces but Dwayne (6) did not last long and soon gave his wicket away with a pull that was never on, and spooned a catch to short mid wicket with score on 75-4 as Braithwaite struck again.
Bravo hooked the pumped up Edwards for six and the bowler retaliated with a wicked bouncer as Bravo and Jason Mohammed took the score to 94 before Benn got rid of Bravo (17).
The run rate dipped as Benn and Nurse operated in tandem but Mohammed and Denesh Ramdin took the score to 142 before Mohammed (26) fell to Benn and when Narine (0) lofted Smith to long-off and Mohammed (26) went to Benn, it was all over bar the shouting for the hosts despite Ramdin’s fourth Regional 50 overs fifty which he brought up with a six off Edwards and a few lusty blows from the tailenders.