Toyota TT cricketers bite KFC Regional X1

THE Toyota TT team, led by discarded West Indies batsman Darren Ganga,  overpowered the KFC Regional Invitational XI team to capture the FCB Charity Shield in a  fund-raising match organised by the West Indies Players association (WIPA). Ganga’s team which won the President’s Cup last October at Kensington Oval in Barbados, regained its winning ways with a comfortable six-wicket victory over the Ricardo Powell-led outfit whose limited bowling attack was not effective enough to restrict the powerful TT line-up in the 30-overs-a-side match, contested under floodlights at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre on Wednesday night.

National players’ left arm spinner Dave Mohammed and medium pacer Reyad Emrit turned in impressive bowling performances as they bowled out the KFC Regional team for 150 off 29 overs. In reply, Aneil Kanhai’s bat lit up the park and treated the disappointingly small but appreciative crowd to some lusty hitting and timely flicks which saw him to the top score of 68 as Trinidad and Tobago celebrated a commanding victory with 8.5 overs to spare. TT finished with 154 for 4 off 21.1 overs. The Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes set the ball rolling when he delivered the ceremonial first ball.

This was done after he pledged Government support for WIPA and their activities. Powell won the toss and the KFC Regional team chose to take first strike on a good batting track. Mervyn Dillon and Reyad Emrit stifled Loknauth Ramsuchit and Azeemul Haniff’s attacking strokeplay initially. But both Guyanese players found their range and upped the tempo as they quickly posted 30 for the first wicket before Emrit effected the breakthrough with the dismissal of the attacking Ramsuchit, gone for 23 which included five fours off 21 balls. Former West Indies players’ Runako Morton and Powell quickly got into stride with bold attacking shots and Dillon paid the price as his five overs went for 40 runs.

When Ganga introduced left arm spinner Mohammed into the attack, the KFC boys fell into a daze and fell like headless chickens as Mohammed spun a web and returned figures of 6-0-31-4. He dismissed Powell (25), Lennox Cush for three; Derwin Christian for duck and Lyndon James, caught by Ramdin for six. Five wickets had tumbled for 14 runs and only a late flurry by Omari Banks who remained undefeated with 24, prevented a total collapse. When the TT lads took strike, Shazam Babwah was adjudged LBW to Vasbert Drakes for nought and the score then was two for one wicket.

Kanhai and William Perkins shared an enterprising 72-run second wicket partnership with the left-handed Kanhai registering two sixes and eight delightful fours off 67 balls in his knock of 65. Newcomer Kierron Pollard and talented Ramdin ushered home the Toyota Trinidad and Tobago team to a resounding victory and were unbeaten on 26 and 14 respectively. Ramdin faced seven balls but crashed three fours while Pollard received 25 balls and he also counted three boundaries including the winning one which sparked a small celebration among  TT cricket team manager Omar Khan, coach David Williams, trainer Gerard Garcia, the players and supporters. Mohammed was adjudged the Man of the Match.