Ramdin, Kelly take TT to Barbados

Inspirational performances by West Indies youth cricket captain Dinesh Ramdin (41) and Richard Kelly (two wickets for 21 runs), and aided with brilliant fielding propelled Trinidad and Tobago to an exciting eight-wicket win over Leeward Islands and the final qualifying spot in the President’s Cup Limited-Overs competition yesterday. TT had to pull out all stops to get the better of Leewards at the Uitvlugt Regional Development Centre Ground and clinch the semi-final berth which was in the balance until the final wicket fell after 49.1 overs. Set a victory target of 220 runs off 50 overs, Leewards were dismissed for 211 with the prolific Runako Morton giving the Trinidadians a big scare with a blistering 88 scored off 117 balls. His attacking innings was punctuated with four huge sixes, one each off Imran Jan and Rodney Sooklal and two off Sherwin Ganga.

He also smashed three blistering fours during his 156 minutes of threatening power at the crease. Morton struck the ball with real power but was earlier overshadowed by right-handed opener Alex Adams who hammered two sixes and five fours off 77 balls and gave Leewards a great launching pad to push for victory. But skipper Ganga kept attacking fields and he brought off a magnificent diving catch off Imran Jan’s offspinning delivery from the southern end. Adams had added 50 for the second wicket with Sylvester Joseph (17) and a further 32 for the third wicket with Morton who changed gears following dismissal of his pugnacious Anguillian partner. In an astute move by Ganga to use Richard Kelly at the northern or Atlantic end, TT got rewards with the vital wickets of Wilden Cornwall, leg before wicket for nought first ball and Omari Banks smartly taken by wicketkeeper Ramdin after the lanky West Indies Test player slashed outside the off-stump to a sharp rising delivery.

Kelly bowled impressively and restricted the free-scoring Leewards strokeplayers. He finished his spell with 10-1-22-2 which earned him the “Man of The Match” award by adjudicator and former West Indies President’s XI player Rabindranath Seeram. Jan also got rid of skipper Stuart Williams (7) superbly caught by Ricardo Powell at backward point following a forceful cut shot. Reyad Emrit who had picked up Austin Richards for no score, caught by ’keeper Ramdin with the score at six, replaced Kelly and finished with two for 46 while Rodney Sooklal grabbed two for 27. And when Morton threatened to rally his team with a come from behind victory with rasping shots, Powell invited a drive over extra cover and Daren Ganga pulled in the overhead catch much to the delight of over 500 spectators who were rooting for the Trinidadians. They also celebrated TT victory when Tonito Willet was run out and Leewards lost by eight runs in the final over. TT lost Gregory Mahabir, who was promoted to open the innings with the exciting left-handed Sherwin Ganga, to the first ball bowled by Kerry Jeremy.

But Sherwin and elder brother Daren thwarted the Leewards bowlers with sensible running between the wickets and bold attacking strokes. Captain Ganga lost Sherwin (21) after an enterprising 49-run second wicket partnership. Powell went for four, brilliantly caught at short midwicket by Morton who held on to a stinging on drive by the Jamaica-born ball-beater. And the skipper was also back in the pavilion after an entertaining 32. With TT tottering at 104 for six, 19-year-old Ramdin played a scholarly innings of 41 and with solid contributions from Jan (18), Kelly (22) and Samuel Badree (29) they carried the overall total to 219 off 49.1 overs. The score proved enough in the end and the players huddled together with team officials and gave thanks to God for His grace and guidance in getting through to the semi-finals. Once they keep up the fighting spirit and excellent all-round team effort, this depleted TT can continue to surprise and God willing will bring home the premier regional limited-overs trophy after eight years of toil and frustration.