TT struggle against Jamaica

It was the same old story yet again, with Trinidad and Tobago’s batsmen throwing away their wickets against Jamaica in the Carib Beer Series cricket match at the Oval yesterday.

Fans will wake up today to read a sad story. Scores: TT 214/9 vs JAMAICA. After winning the toss on a good batting strip at the Queen’s Park Oval, skipper Daren Ganga would have expected a better score than 214 for nine wickets as he glanced up at the electronic scoreboard on his way out of the Oval yesterday evening. The first wicket of the day was an indication of what was to follow as Andy Jackson padded up to a straight ball from Darren Powell and fell for a duck. Dwayne Bravo and TT’s best batsman this season, Imran Jan settled down soon after but there was no urgency in their play.  The duo however pushed the score along to 48 when Bravo played a listless on-drive and was caught at mid-on for 22.

Skipper Ganga and the steady Jan took the score  of 57 for two at lunch and on resumption, the school children were chanting “Daren, Daren”, as the right-hander smashed Gareth Breese for a massive six. He however fell in the same over via a dubious caught behind decision for 15. The score at his dismissal was 66 and the talented Zaheer Ali entered to help steady the ship. His association with Jan realised 49 runs before Jan fell for a workmanlike 40 runs. He flayed a ball on leg-side and gave a faint edge for Keith Hibbert to snap-up.  Without addition to the score, Ali fell for 27 off the bowling off Jerome Taylor. The left-hander touched a wide delivery and Hibbert snapped-up a magnificent one-handed catch in front off first slip.

Lincoln Roberts and Lendl Simmons then got down to rebuild the Trinidad and Tobago innings and they did to an extent. With the score at 154, Simmons, who batted very well, pushed a delivery to square leg and there was some hesitation between them that led to Roberts’ downfall. Simmons motored on before his demise at 36 off the persistent Breese. Dave Mohammed in the first match of the season was joined by Ravi Rampaul who fell soon after his arrival run out for four.  With a highest first-class score of 52, a lot depended on Mohammed and he responded. In partnership with Marlon Black they took the score from 178 to 214 before Powell removed Black with the last ball of the day for 12.