TT hold edge against Windwards

KINGSTOWN: After another inept batting display from both teams yesterday, Trinidad and the Windward Islands set up an intriguing third day in their Carib Beer Series regional cricket match. The second day of the four-day match saw 16 wickets fall for a total of 213 runs. Set 202 for victory, the Windwards were struggling on 69 for four at the close, with Sergio Fedee on 30 and Liam Sebastien on six. The Windwards worked themselves back into contention after dismissing Trinidad and Tobago  in the post-lunch session for 104, but they also batted themselves into trouble with some poor shots.

Opener Devon Smith (00) was bowled leg stump first ball of the innings by Richard Kelly trying to whip through the onside; Craig Emmanuel (18) was outfoxed by Dave Mohammed and smartly stumped by Denesh Ramdin; Shallow guided a half volley to Rayad Emrit at gully; and Junior Murray (11) touched a wide ball to Ramdin trying to cut. Fedee and Sebastien survived several anxious moments against the Trinidad and Tobago spin arsenal and will resume today. Yesterday the hosts rattled out  their opponents in 33.5 overs with Shane Shillingford (4-20), Deighton Butler (2-20), Darren Sammy (2-17) and Rawl Lewis (2-31) sharing the wickets to set their team a target of 202 runs to win.

Returning from lunch on 11-0 Trinidad were rocked in the very first over when Butler removed Sherwin Ganga (5) and his brother Daren Ganga (0) in the space of two balls. Sherwin drove loosely to mid on, where Hyron Shallow took a comfortable catch and Daren touched a leg-cutter to wicketkeeper Murray. Earlier the Windward Islands tailenders had rallied from the overnight 23 for eight to 63 all out in reply to Trinidad’s first innings score of 160. Seamer, Kelley added another wicket to his tally on Thursday to end with six for 31. Kyron Lynch took one for eight, Mohammed one for 13 and  Amit Jaggernaut finished with one for six—  all playing their part.

The Windwards resumed on 23 for eight with Murray on six and Shillingford on two and in danger of falling for the lowest score in regional cricket, but recovered for their eventual score. Shillingford (03) was the first to go when he drove a Kelley half volley to wide mid-off where Emrit made a falling catch. Murray and Kenroy Peters (15) were then involved in a tenth-wicket partnership of 35 which took the team past the 41 made by Guyana against Jamaica in 1986. A pull by Peters to the mid-wicket boundary off Mohammed  got the Windwards past their lowest score of 54 made against Guyana in 1998.