BRIDGETOWN: West Indies pacers Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins starred for Barbados yesterday, limiting Trinidad and Tobago to 250 for nine on the opening day of the Carib Beer International Challenge cricket semifinal.
Captain Daren Ganga topscored for the visitors with a composed 95 that included 13 fours and a six and spanned nearly six hours. But Collymore had the biggest impact, removing Ganga and classy left-hander Brian Lara for 37 on his way to four for 61 off 18 overs. Left-armer Collins made the early inroads and ended with three for 40 off 20 probing overs. Collins struck early after TT was sent in, Andy Jackson (0) punching a catch to mid-off in the third over. Ganga and Imran Jan consolidated in a stand of 47 for the second wicket before sharp work from Ryan Hinds removed Jan for 24. Hinds’ direct hit of the bowler’s end stumps from midwicket found the left-hander run out, well short of his ground.
Ganga fell five runs short of a well-deserved century when he snicked to provide Collymore with his second victim, a third catch to Browne behind the stumps. Collymore then quickly accounted for Mervyn Dillon (4), bowled, and Marlon Black (1), to Browne’s fourth catch. Left-hander Dave Mohammed smashed four boundaries in an enterprising, unbeaten 27 to boost the late order. Last man Rodney Sookal was four not out at close. The four-day match continues today.
ALBION: Anxious to avenge last year’s first innings defeat to Guyana, Jamaica’s batsmen smashed the Guyanese bowlers yesterday, closing day one of their four-day Carib Beer International Shield cricket match at 335 for four wickets.
Scoring more than 100 runs in each of the day’s three sessions, the visitors forced Guyana captain Carl Hooper to use seven bowlers, including part-timers Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine, to try and pry out the Jamaicans. With nearly a dozen West Indies Test stars on show in the match, the Jamaicans owe their huge first day score to a classy 79 from Marlon Samuels, 58 from Wavell Hinds, 31 from Leon Garrick and unbeaten knocks from all-rounders Dave Bernard, on 64, and Gareth Breese, on 62.
The visitors at times scored more than a run a minute, with the 300 coming up in 296 minutes, and the close of play score achieved in a mere 104 overs. The first 100 came in 111 minutes, the 200 in 207 minutes, and the 250 in 257 minutes. Skipper Robert Samuels called correctly and decided to bat, following Guyana’s first innings win last year in the Busta International Shield match in Jamaica. Clearly playing for a first-innings win, Guyana were at the receiving end of aggressive Jamaican batting, with the visitors smashing 45 boundaries and two sixes to leave a leg-weary Guyana side on the ropes to make the final. The day’s play was characterised by partnerships of 98 between Samuels and Hinds, and 108 between Bernard and Breese. The Guyanese, meanwhile, dropped three catches and bowled too short and wide on a very batter-friendly Albion wicket.
Former Trinidad and Tobago pacer Eugene Antoine rolled back the years yesterday with an inspired seven-wicket spell against Queen’s Park at the Oval, as third round matches in the Carib National League Division One bowled off.
The home team were skittled out for 170 in the face of hostile bowling from Antoine who finished with the remarkable figures of seven for 42. Only a tenacious 51 from skipper Brent Augustus stood between the teams. Clico Preysal were five without loss at the close. In south, Guyanese all-rounder Damodar Dasrath was in great form with the bat, scoring 120 for Clarke Road United against leaders Tile It Central Sports at Wilson Road, Penal. The homesters were bowled out for 234 but not before Dasrath scored a fine 120 that came off 175 balls and included 16 fours and two sixes. At Pierre Road, Charlieville fans were treated to a feast as 364 runs were scored. Police batted first and scored 220 all out with Robert Mahabir getting 92, Amarnath Basdeo, 37, and Imtaz Rojan, 32. At the close, Alescon Comet had rushed to 144 for one as the Lawmen found former national player Clint Yorke difficult to contain. He scored a whirlwind 78. At the close that man Imran Khan was up to his tricks again carving an unbeaten 58. At Diego Martin the defending champions Ceramic Trinidad Merryboys played exactly like that as they dismissed PowerGen for 159. At the close they were six for no wicket.
Matches resume today at 1 pm.
SUMMARISED SCORES
At Diego Martin: PowerGen 159 (Joel Surujbally 51, David Williams 21, Winston Duncan 23, Ken Hazel 3/32, Rajindra Dhanraj 2/10, Aneil Kanhai 2/24, Richard Kelly 2/29) vs Merryboys 6/0.
At Wilson Road: FCB Clarke Road 234 all out (Damodar Dasrath 120, Mukesh Persad 26, Gibran Mohammed 21, Kyron Lynch 2/56, Ryad Emrit 2/44, Devindra Krishna 3/45, Lennox Cush 3/66 vs Tile It Central Sports.
At Pierre Road: Police 220 all out (Robert Mahabir 92, Amarnath Basdeo 39, Imtaz Rojan 32) vs Comets 144/1 (Clint Yorke 78, Imran Khan 58 n.o.).
At the Oval: QPCC 170 all out (Brent Augustus 51, Ricardo Paty 21, Jason Galt 21, Shakeel Ali 20, Eugene Antoine 7/42, Magnum Nanan 2/42) vs Preysal 5/0.
RAY ROBERTS holds a two-shot lead after the first day yesterday of the RBTT Invitational golf tournament on the Pointe-a-Pierre course.
Roberts shot a gross 72 to head the “A” Class group two strokes back, comprising Randy Mohammed, Imran Haniff and Duane McIntosh . One stroke adrift of the pack is Michael Commissiong (73). Barlo Rooplal leads the “B” Class with a gross 74, two shots better than Adam Montano (74) followed by A Ogeer (77), Des Ragoo (78)and I Thumbadoo (78). Pauline Raynor topped the women after the first day with a gross 75. In second was Dianne Torry (77) followed by Lee Mohammed (82), and Amoy Chang Fong (82). Former world junior champion Maria Nunes is in the picture too, also shooting 82.
Trinidad and Tobago’s teenaged boxing sensation Aaron Cumberbatch forced the Martiniquan handlers of Kenroy Broquey to throw the towel into the ring on Friday night.
This action brought an abrupt end to what most fans were expecting to be the contest of the night at the Cosmic Boxing Gym, Marabella. The few boxing faithfuls turned up were disappointed in the outcome of the fight which should have showcased the battery of fighters from the French island principality. Only two fighters from their stable mustered the courage to challenge the Trinidadians who emerged victorious in both bouts. Having created history at the Caribbean Championships held in Martinique last year, Cosmic Boxing Gym’s Cumberbatch voted “Fighter of the Championships” and “Best Junior Fighter”, toyed with Broquey (110 lbs). He seemed unable to conjure up the courage to attack the skilful and elusive Trinidadian (108 lbs) in their flyweight scrap. And even without absorbing much punishment, someone from Broquey’s corner stunned everyone with the towel thrown into the ring and forced the referee to stop the fight. The fight was declared in favour of Cumberbatch and will be recorded as Referee Stopped Contest — retired first round. In a featherweight clash, TT’s Klevan Denoon (122 lbs) outfoxed his French opponent Anthony Laurent (124 lbs) in the other international bout.
The local pugilist unleashed superior and much more powerful combinations in a fine exhibition of classy boxing by both fighters. Denoon was definitely more aggressive and stronger in his connections and he prevailed by a 2-1 margin in the hotly-contested clash. Earlier, Mikey Francis (203 lbs) of Sand City pounded Terrence Wilson (207 lbs) of Arima in a one-sided super heavyweight bout and was awarded the fight by a 3-0 advantage. Enos Marchan (135.5 lbs) gave Sand City their second title of the night when he outscored Kirt Blackwell (133 lbs) of St Michael’s Boys School. Marchan was awarded the fight by a 2-1 margin. Tonight, the action switches to the Siparia Lions Civic Centre where all the visiting Martiniquans fighters will be hoping to turn the tables on the local glovemen who are determined to do well in their preparations for the upcoming Caribbean Championships in Bahamas.
TRINIDAD AND Tobago footballers remained in strong contention to secure a qualification spot at the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup in USA and Mexico. The Soca Warriors beat a tough Guadeloupe unit 1-0 on Friday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Tunapuna to stake their claim.
In front of a packed house at the newly-named stadium, on the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence compound, TT needed an 88th minute penalty from acting captain Stern John to gain full points. And the Soca Warriors can seal an automatic berth at the Gold Cup, scheduled from July 12-27, with victory against Cuba today, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 5 pm. Cuba cruised past Antigua/Barbuda 2-0 in the first match of Friday’s doubleheader, the first match to be contested in at the stadium, renamed minutes earlier after the late national Under-20 captain. TT’s win was made even tougher due to two factors —- the injuries to regular skipper, defender Marvin “Dog” Andrews (hamstring) and winger Evans Wise (leg) as well as the spectacular work between the uprights by Guadeloupe’s goalkeeper Fabrice Mercury.
Mercury produced a series of outstanding saves to deny the TT attack, especially when they went for broke late in the second half. “He was the reason why it was not a 4-0 (scoreline). He was the Man-of-the-Match in a losing cause as far as I was concerned,”said Hannibal Najjar, national senior team coach after the match. Andrews was replaced in the line-up by Dwayne Demmin, younger brother of right-back Craig Demmin, while Wise’s spot on the left went to Tobagonian Hayden Fitzwilliams who seemed overawed on his full international debut. Guadeloupe’s forward Olivier Toute-Fauconnie intercepted a lazy back-pass from defensive midfielder Anton Pierre but saw his shot cannon of the leg of Dennis Lawrence in the 13th minute but for the duration of the match, they retreated into a defensive mode, with their back-line severly tested with a series of TT raids.
Mercury saved two thunderous drives from John, in the 14th from a long-ball from Brent Rahim and in the 23rd from a Pierre free-kick, while John’s chip from a Carlos Edwards pass was tipped overbar in the 37th. The French-speaking Islanders got a major setback in the 61st when Toute-Fauconnie was sent off by Barbadian referee Barney Callender for dissent but TT struggled to make full use of their man-advantage. To the shock of many, national Under-23 striker Devon Mitchell was included in the 53rd minute at the expense of Pierre but it was only when the consistent Jason Scotland replaced Fitzwilliams in the 63rd did the TT attack look potent.
Scotland forced Mercury into action in the 68th and 76th —- the latter a 30-metre bullet which saw an airborne Mercury punch away —- while Mitchell, collecting a lay-off from Scotland, also saw his 25-metre drive saved in the 78th. But Scotland’s constant goal-bound attempts paid off when, two minutes from full-time, he was pulled down by defender Pascal Chimbonda inside the penalty box and John converted the penalty with ease. The Cubans prevailed in a lacklustre matchup against the Antiguans with a double from substitute Lester More, in the 65th and 74th minutes. More got his first item with a close-range shot past Antiguan goalie Janiel Simon after a lay-off from fellow striker Maykel Galindo and, nine minutes later, he sealed victory for the Cubans with a left-footed drive from a Resiandry Fernandez’s corner. The Antigua and Guadeloupe squads will each be playing for pride when they square off at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium today from 3 pm.
Pamenos Ballantyne of St Vincent and the Grenadines recorded a unique double but more importantly copped the top award for his victory in the feature 5,000-metre race at the inaugural Manny Ramjohn Memorial Invitational Games on Friday.
The 35-event progamme brought together athletes from neighbouring Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines in the track programme staged under floodlights at the stadium at Marabella named after the TT running star. Racing before a very small crowd, Ballantyne won the 1,500 metres in three min. 54.85 sec. He outpaced Palo Seco’s Jules LaRode (4: 00.23) and Simplex’s Kern Ramdin (4: 04.34). And without the threat and opposition of TT’s US-based Ronnie Hollasie, who was billed as the star attraction and who did not show up, Ballantyne strode unchallenged in the curtain-event —- the 5,000 metres, which he covered in 15 min. 07.26 secs.
NFM’s Cantius Thomas was the only competitor who was not lapped by the 2003 Clico TT marathon champion who continued his dominance of middle and long distance races in the Caribbean. Thomas was timed at 15 min. 41.42 sec and trailed the new Games winner by about 130 metres. In his fluent relaxed style, Ballantyne overtook four runners with five laps remaining of the twelve-and-a-half laps race. And with each succeeding lap he lapped twelve other runners but could not track the determined Thomas. Antigua’s Janil Williams recorded a double in the ladies middle-distance double. She won the 1,500 metres in four min. 36.81 secs and 800 in 2 min. 14.28 secs.
However, the heroine of the night was Guyana’s 14-year-old Jennifer Chichester, who despite niggling injury to her left ankle which was sustained in the 1,500-metre event, ran a smart race and shrugged off US-born TT-based Katie Ryan in the feature 3,000 metre women open race. The bare-footed Chichester held the inside and carried the race after two laps. The pint-sized damsel made her move on her taller American opponent with 300 metres to go. She pulled away and sprinted into the final curve ahead of her long-striding rival. As they turned into the straightaway for the finishing tape, Ryan challenged the diminutive Dolphin Secondary school (Georgetown) student but she found enough reserve to once again speed to the finish as everyone in the appreciative crowd rose to their feet to acknowledge a rising star.
Chichester placed second to Williams in the 1,500 metres in a time of 4: 40.88 secs. She will be flying Guyana colours at the Carifta Games scheduled for the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo over the Easter weekend. Antigua’s Olympian Heather Samuel registered the sprint double among the unheralded women opposition. She was like a “giant” among pygmies” and clocked 11.22 secs in the 100 metres dash and 23.46 secs for the 200-metre trip. Guyana’s Adrian Blackman won the men’s 100 metres in 10.18 secs ahead of Antigua’s Daniel Bailey (10.21) with the positions reversed in the half lap event.
RANK outsider Royal Flush, not given much of a chance, scored a stunning victory in the Adoring Groom event for three-year-old contenders for this year’s triple crown on Day 9 of the Arima Race Club racing season at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, yesterrday.
Sent off at odds of 65/1 in the 1750 metres race, Mary P. Navarro’s gelded son of Time For A Trick/Royal Beauty upstaged raging pre-race favourite Ichiban who could finish only a poor sixth, and well-fancied stablemate Due Dilligence, who was seventh. Backers of Royal Flush were smiling all the way to the payout windows to receive $132.30 and $13.80 on their $2 tickets. Sweet Tempo was first to show in the race along with Full Of Promises, Celebration Time and Cornerstone tracking. But Royal Flush who was in mid-division, took command at the 600 metres marker and strode home. Movietowne Magic made almost all the running to win the Pegasus Plus Sprint over 1350 metres, holding off the challenges of Invincibility and Outswinger who followed him to the wire. But Man Of Class kicked off in front and was never headed in taking the 1350 metres Starlight Stakes the other co-feature. But Miss Lover Lover, a faller last time out, scattered her 12 rivals winning by eight lengths in the curtain Have A Heart event over 1250 metres.
It was a good day for the owner-trainer team of Luciano Woodley and Shaffique Khan, scoring a rare double with Sunday Purchase and Bazodee Gal. But the star rider of the day was defending champion Rajpaul Rajkumar who booted home three winners, while affable owner, trainer, breeder Maniram “Boboy” Maharaj also saddled two winners on the day. There were numerous upsets on the day’s 10-race programme with the biggest trifecta coming on the Royal Flush, Celebration Time, Cornerstone combination – $6,611.20. The exacta rewarded lucky punters with $1,511.20. Biggest superfecta dividend came on the Phenomenon, Hatrick, Classy Kim, Finest Gem quartet $11,521.60, while the Miss Lover Lover, Maid Of Honour, In Swinger, Carnival Messiah foursome paid $9,846.30.
LONDON: World Cup runners-up Germany were held 1-1 at home by Lithuania in one of the surprises of yesterday’s Euro 2004 football qualifying matches.
Although Carsten Ramelow put the three-time winners and two time runners- up ahead after just seven minutes, Lithu-ania hit back to earn an expected point through Tomas Razanauskas’ reply in the 73rd minute. The result meant that Rudi Voeller’s team lost top place in Group 5 to Berti Vogts’ Scotland, who downed Iceland 2-1 at Hampden Park. England gained vital points but gained few friends and maybe more critics after an unimpressive 2-0 beating of football minnow Liechtenstein yesterday. Michael Owen headed the first and David Beckham struck home a trademark free kick before 3,500 fans in Vaduz. But Sven-Goran Eriksson’s team missed more chances and went close to conceding goals in the last few minutes against one of football’s weakest teams who have just one victory in 40 competitive matches.
By contrast Ryan Giggs scored one and set up two as freescoring Wales stayed top of their group with a 4-0 beating of Azerbaijan. Russia were upset 3-1 by Albania, Spain were held 2-2 by Ukraine thanks to a last minute equaliser and Denmark scored a 5-2 victory at Romania whose coach, Anghel Iordanescu, quit. There was crowd trouble at Georgia’s 2-1 home loss to Ireland in Tbilisi where home fans threw an open penknife and a bottle onto the field. Manchester United star Giggs inspired Wales to a fourth Group 9 win in a row as Mark Hughes’ team moved closer to their first European Champion-ship appearance since 1976. Italy, runners-up at the last Euros three years ago, hosted Finland later yesterday but kicked off eight points behind the Welshmen. The Serbs aren’t playing in the latest round of matches.
Spain were on the brink of going four points clear at the top of Group 6 until Oleksandr Horoshkov volleyed a last minute equaliser for Ukraine in Kiev. After Andriy Voronin had fired the home team ahead in the 11th minute, three goals came in the last six. Real Madrid star Raul Gonzalez and Joseba Etxeberria put Spain ahead until Horoshkov snatched a tie which means Ukraine remain one point behind. Scotland strengthened their chances of qualifying for a big championship for the first time in five years by beating Iceland 2-1 at Hampden Park, a result which gives the visitors little chance of making it to next year’s finals in Portugal. Scotland now have seven points from three Group 5 matches. Ireland revived their chances in Group 10 by winning 2-1 at Georgia for their first points in three games. Dennis Rommedahl scored twice as Denmark won 5-2 at Romania.
SYDNEY: Australian batsman Damien Martyn will miss the start of the West Indies cricket tour because of his finger injury, team officials said yesterday.
Martyn fractured his right index finger while fielding during the World Cup tournament. When the rest of the team flies out to the Caribbean tomorrow he will remain in Perth to undergo further scans and treatment. Martyn played in the World Cup final with the help of painkillers and scored 88 not out off 84 balls as he and Ricky Ponting put on a record unbeaten stand of 234 in Australia’s win over India in the final. Martyn said in a statement that he didn’t want to do any long-term damage to the finger. “I’m naturally disappointed that I won’t be on the plane to the West Indies but it’s important that I allow the treatment to take its course and get things right for good,” said Martyn. Australia’s four-Test Caribbean tour begins with a three-day match in Georgetown, Guyana on April 5 ahead of the First Test there. Seven One-Day Internationals are also scheduled.
