TT beat Winwards to improve title hopes

ST GEORGE'S: Trinidad and Tobago defeated the Windward Islands by 75 runs after being held up early in the morning, on the final day of their third round Carib Beer 2003 cricket Series match at the National Stadium yesterday.

The Windwards, chasing 361, could only muster 285 as pacer Ravi grabbed four wickets for 49 runs to propel Trinidad to victory and maximum 12 points.

Trinidad & Tobago, chasing their first regional four-day title since 1985, moved up to second in the championship standings on 27 points, three behind leaders Barbados.

Resuming on 113 for three wickets, after rain delayed play for half an hour, John Eugene and Rommel Currency extended their partnership from 31 overnight to 112 as the Windward Islands went to lunch at 194 for the same three.

Batting cautiously while picking the bad balls to score from, the two reached their half centuries along the way.

Eugene's 50 which included seven fours, came off 121 balls, while Currency took 134 balls and struck a similar number of boundaries in reaching the half-century landmark.

Soon after the interval, Eugene was stumped by wicket-keeper Navin Chan off  the bowling of off-spinner Mukesh Persad for 77, registering 10 fours in a 165-ball knock, as the stand with Currency was extended to 130.

Kenroy Martin and Currency then added 56 for the fifth wicket to take the score to 258, before Currency fell eight short of what would have been his maiden First-Class century, as Rampaul induced an edge from him that was accepted by wicket-keeper Chan.

Currency hit nine fours as he faced 286 balls. Captain Rawl Lewis (5) then partnered Martin but they were separated 12 runs later when Martin drove Black to Daren Ganga at mid-on for a well-played 40, inclusive of six fours.

Without any addition to the score, the skipper lost his wicket as he holed out to Rampaul at long leg off Black's bowling as the Windwards went to tea 271 for seven wickets.

The innings would last for just over an hour on resumption as the Windwards added 14 more runs to crash to their second defeat in three matches.

Olanzo Jackson (1) pushed forward to Rampaul and was caught at forward shortleg by Lendl Simmons. Deighton Butler (2) was caught by Chan off the bowling of seamer Dwayne  Bravo, who was named "Man-of-the-Match," while Kenroy Peters (4) edged a Dinanath Ramnarine leg-break to Bravo at first slip.

Bravo picked up two for 30 for a match haul eight for 41.

Other matches:

CHARLESTOWN: The Leeward Islands and India "A" played to a draw.

Scores: India "A" 450 (Gautam Gambhir 98, Ambati Rayudu 84, Abhijit Kale 80, Akash Chopra 79, Conner Williams 41; Carl Simon 3-75, Omari Banks 3-100, Adam Sanford 2-76) vs Leeward Islands 201 (Alex Adams 54, Sylvester Joseph 46, Stuart Williams 40; Amit Mishra 5-55, Ambati Rayudu 4-43) and 232-4 (Junie Mitchum 72 not out, Omari Banks 51 not out, Tonito Willett 41; Amit Mishra 3-63).

CHRISTIANSTED: Guyana and West Indies "B" played  to a draw.. Guyana, chasing 120 to win from 12 overs late in the day, ended on 106 for nine.

Scores: West Indies "B" 134 (Patrick Browne 41, Narsingh Deonarine 39; Neil McGarrell 5-33, Reon King 5-41) and 339 (Gregory mahabir 71, Narsingh Deonarine 64, Martin Nurse 55, Carlton Baugh 50; Neil McGarrell 5-105) vs Guyana 354-8 declared (Vishal Nagamootoo 115 not out, Rayon Griffith 82 not out, Andre Percival 45, Sewnarine Chattergoon 41; Reon Thomas 4-69, Andrew Richardson 2-71) and 106-9 (Krishna Arjune 43; Jason Bennett 3-18, Andrew Richardson 2-44). (CMC)

SCOREBOARD
TT 1st Inns 204
Windwards 1st Inn 84
TT 2nd Inns 240-5 dec.
Windwards 2nd Inn
(Overnight 113 for 3)

D.Smith LBW Rampaul  40
R.Currency c Chan b Rampaul  92
K.Sylvester c Ramnarine b Rampaul 0
J.Murray c&b Bravo 1
J.Eugene stp wkp Chan b Persad 71
K.Martin c Ganga b Black 40
R.Lewis c Rampaul b Black 5
O.Jackson c Simmons b Rampaul 1
D.Butler c wkp Chan b Bravo 2
K.Peters c Bravo b Ramnarine 4
C.Cuffy not out 2
EXTRAS (B10, LB13, NB4) 27
TOTAL (All out) 285
Fall of wickets: 67, 71, 72, 202, 258, 270, 270, 278, 283.
BOWLING: Black 28-6-75-2 (NB3); Rampaul 21-6-49-4 (NB1); Bravo 14.3-7-30-2; Simmons 2-0-7-0, Ramnarine 26-7-44-1, Persad 22-7-57-1.
RESULT: TT won by 75 runs
Points: Trinidad & Tobago 12, Windwards 0
"Man of the Match": Dwayne Bravo (T&T)
(CMC)