Smith (99) sets up Windwards victory

OPENING batsman Devon Smith fell one run short of a well deserved century yesterday as the Windward Islands beat Trinidad and Tobago by 40 runs in the first of back-to back one-day cricket matches at the National Cricket Centre Ground, Balmain, Couva. The attacking left-hander featured in a third-wicket partnership of 120 runs with experienced John Eugene who made 75 as the Windwards scored a challenging total of 288 for six off their 50 overs. And despite inspiring batting by Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga with a well-played 66 and allrounder Richard Kelly who crashed 72 off only 50 balls, the home side still fell short being all out for 248 in 49.3 overs. Despite the margin of defeat skipper Ganga said after the match, he was very impressed with the batting of Kelly and wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin whose partnership for the seventh wicket realised 124 runs. “I am disappointed that none of the other top five batters got among the runs but the fighting spirit of the young guys is one of the positives of the match. They rose to the occasion to give the innings a respectable total.”

Ganga said he thought his team’s bowling was inconsistent but that his men fielded well. “It is the first time we are playing as a unit since many of the regular players are injured. These are guys on the periphery of the national team and we hope to tighten up on our game and put in a better performance tomorrow,” said Ganga. Windwards manager Lockhart Sebastien was happy with the morale boosting victory yesterday but said he was not too pleased with his team’s fielding. He said he is looking forward to today’s encounter to fully evaluate his players for the regional tournament. Both teams are fine-tuning preparations for the upcoming regional limited-overs  tournament in Guyana, and the second and final practice match will be staged today from 9.30 am at the same venue. Yesterday was blessed with warm and sunny weather. Windwards captain Rawle Lewis won the toss and elected to bat and his batsmen set about the Trinidad and Tobago bowling. They raced to 34 before former West Indies wicketkeeper Junior Murray, after scoring 16 was snapped up by Sherwin Ganga in the covers off the bowling of  young Atiba Alert, making his debut for the national team.

He was soon followed into the pavilion by Craig Emmanuel who scratched  around for 27 minutes for his five runs before being induced into a false shot by spinner Amrit Jaggernauth and sent a dolly of a catch to Jonathan  Augustus at leg gully. The uncertainty of 67 for two in the 16th over was repaired by Smith and Eugene who carried the score to 187 before being parted. Veteran Eugene was the first to go caught by Imran Jan at long on off fast bowler Kelly. His innings was spiced with two fours and three sixes and his 50 came up in only 52 minutes. Smith got valuable support from Liam Sebastien, son of Windwards manager Lockhart Sebastien who made 27 before he was removed by Kelly, well caught by Sherwin Ganga. But just one short of what would have been a fine century, Smith square drove medium pacer Samuel Badree and rushed off for an impossible single. Daren Ganga fielded smartly and returned to wickkeeper Ramdin and found the left handed opener out of his ground.

Darren Sammy and Deighton Butler treated the small crowd to some enterprising hitting to sweep the score up to 288 with the West Indies fast bowler hitting D Ganga for three consecutive sixes and a four in the last over. The Trinidad and Tobago reply was delayed for short time as an ominous shower fell and they started disastrously with opener Sherwin Ganga being needlessly run out for six, followed by Imran Jan who was caught by Sebastien at mid-wicket off Sammy for 13. The damage was repaired somewhat by a purposeful skipper D Ganga and young Augustus who played a fine responsible hand of 24 before he was caught by wicketkeeper Murray off spinner Shane Shillingford. Ricardo Powell (10) and Samuel Badree (5) didn’t stick around but Dinesh Ramdin and his captain pushed the score to 127 before D Ganga was caught on the boundary trying to force the scoring. He hit two fours and one six off 85 balls. Kelly entered and rose to the occasion and together with Ramdin gave the  homesters some hope of an improbable victory taking the score to  233 before the tall left-handed allrounder was dismissed  after smashing three fours and an equal number of sixes for a valuable 72. But after Ramdin left, the tailenders gave no resistance and the match was as good as over.