Jan, Kelly take TT to victory

BRIDGETOWN: Trinidad and Tobago won the West Indies limited overs regional cricket tournament yesterday, beating Guyana by four wickets with an unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 78 between Imran Jan and Richard Kelly. Jan hit a 54 not out and Kelly smacked an undefeated 42 to steer the Trinidadians to their target of 161 for six wickets with 34 balls remaining at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The pair came together with Trinidad faltering at 83 for six chasing Guyana’s all out 160 off 43.4 of their allocated 45 overs. Overnight and morning rain had delayed the start of match by an hour, reducing the match from 50 overs a team to 45.

It was Trinidad’s first regional limited overs title since 1996 when they also beat Guyana. Fast bowlers Reon King (three for 27) and Esuan Crandon (three for 28) had lifted the spirits of a majority Guyanese crowd of 3,000 with early strikes. King removed Shazan Babwah and Trinidad captain Daren Ganga in his first two overs. Babwah fended off the glove to wicketkeeper Derwin Christian while Ganga edged low to first slip. Sherwin Ganga compiled 19 before Crandon struck three quick blows of his own. Lefthander Ganga pulled to square leg and was soon followed in the pavilion by Gregory Mahabir, who carved to gully. Ricardo Powell nicked behind where Christian held an acrobatic catch to his right as Trinidad tottered at 49 for five. Jan and Denesh Ramdin rebuilt the innings with a stand of  34 for the sixth wicket. Ramdin stroked 24 before he perished as he chased a wide ball from King.

There was one scare when Kelly lofted a chance to mid-off  where Crandon missed the opportunity off King at 87 for six. Jan then hit four fours off 100 balls while Kelly, the eventual “Man-of-the-Match,” lashed three sixes off 64 balls. Earlier, Guyana recovered from a faltering start but was restricted to a modest total of 160 after being sent in. Captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, with 43, and Damodar Daesrath, 49, steadied the innings with a fifth wicket partnership of 89 after the first four wickets fell for 19 within the first six overs to fast bowlers Reyad Emrit and Kelly. Left-hander Chanderpaul, the experienced West Indies Test batsman, came in at 14 for three in the fifth over when Emrit took his third wicket and stayed to organise his team’s innings.

He was Emrit’s fourth victim in the 39th over, pulling a full toss to deep square-leg. He hit four fours off his 86 balls. Chanderpaul was outscored by the right-handed Daesrath, who hit three fours off 84 balls before he fell to Powell’s diving catch at backward point in off-spinner Sherwin Ganga’s last over. Neil McGarrell hit out in the closing overs, striking the only six of the innings in his 29. But he was one of two run outs effected by the sharp Trinidad fielders as Guyana tried to steal quick runs. Emrit was Trinidad’s most successful bowler with four wickets for 27 off his nine overs. Kelly took two for 26 off seven overs.