TT stay in the hunt

ALPART: Half centuries from Denesh Ramdin and Lendl Simmons kept Trinidad and Tobago in contention for first innings points against Jamaica on the second day of their fifth round Carib Beer Series regional cricket match at the Alpart Sports Club yesterday. Jamaica however struck an important blow late in the day however when they removed Ramdin for a topscore of 84, just minutes before the close of play. The talented, 19-year-old right hander was the mainstay of the Trinidad innings and struck seven fours in an innings which lasted 208 balls and spanned 238 minutes. He shared an 118-run, third wicket partnership with opener Simmons whose 76 required 205 minutes and 148 balls, and contained six fours and one six.

Trinidad had also suffered a major setback earlier when middle order batsman Shazan Babwah was forced to return home following the news of the death of his father in Trinidad. However, the duo of Ramdin and Simmons salvaged the Trinidad innings after the early loss of the Ganga brothers, Sherwin and Daren, for cheap scores, with only 43 on the board. Sherwin was first out with the score on 18, bowled by fast bowler Dwight Washington for seven and Daren followed with the score on 43, LBW to the left arm spin of Nikita Miller for nine.

The pair took Trinidad to lunch at 58 for two, with Simmons unbeaten on 23 and Ramdin, five, and proceeded to continue their rescue job after the interval. Just when it seemed as if the duo would deny Jamaica success in the post-lunch session, Trinidad suffered a big setback moments before tea, when Simmons was caught at short leg by Danza Hyatt off spinner Bevan Browne, to go to break at 161 for three. Jamaica claimed Imran Jan (4) cheaply and could have had the prized wicket of Ramdin when he had scored 53, but Keith Hibbert floored the catch at slip off Washington with the score on 169 for four. Samuel Badree, with whom Ramdin shared a critical 49-run, fifth wicket stand, also escaped with a life after Brown muffed a return catch when the batsman was 12. (CMC)