Cyrus five power ‘Strike Squad’ past WI

Cyrus started his heroics midway in the first of three quarters, and followed with goals in the 32nd, 43rd, 67th and 85th minutes.

But Cyrus’ goal-splurge failed to knock the fight out of the West Indies cricketers/footballers who in fact opened the scoring in front a small but vociferous crowd at the Mucurapo venue.

Barbadian hart-hitting batsman Dwayne Smith was at the end of a threaded cross by name-sake openng batsman Devon (Smith) and enjoyed the simple task of beating Michael Maurice in the “Strike Squad” goal midway in the first session.

Thereafter the regional cricket team was made to face a succession of vicious attacks from the “Strike Squad” who showed the offensive firepower that was lacking 17 years ago against the United States at the same venue.

They should have equalised had Dave Mohammed not scramble Marvin Faustin’s powerful low drive wide.

And later Mohammed, as though contesting a place in the national team, came up big again when he acrobatically pushed Clayton Morris’ scorcher over the bar.

The passage of time brought about obvious changes in their body structure, with most of the players sporting “beer bellies”, still they exhibited a fluency in their game that led to the equaliser.

Larry Joseph worked his way up the right flank and picked out Leonson Lewis who calmly beat the dive of Mohammed.

The goal opened the door for substitute Cyrus, who was on the field only a few minutes before he beat Mohammed for a second time in the game from another Joseph centre.

The West Indies, as is customary turned to Brian Lara who came on as a second-quarter substitution, and without the bat Lara could do little as he was bogged down by the stout “Strike Squad” defence.

“Strike Squad” got their third goal when Cyrus pounced on another loose ball in the area in the 32nd minute, thanks again to Joseph’s heroics on the right side.

The fitter, more mobile West Indies team moved within a goal of their counterparts however, when Ken Hazel beat substitute goalkeeper Ross Russell in the 47th minute.

But Lara came into his own at last, and in the 49th forced Russell to fist away his powerful drive.

But as expected the veteran footballers maintained their game plan produced by Everald “Gally” Cummings, their coach of 1989.

And it was from another Faustin run down the left flank that the “Strike Squad” increased their tally to four goals before the end of the second quarter.

Faustin’s centre presented Cyrus with the simple task of tapping in on 57 minutes.

But with a 5-2 lead going into the final session, coach Colin Murray attempted to utilise his strongest team.

Among them was veteran spinner Dinanath Ramnarine whose attempt at a curling cross from the right side instead sent him off the field, suffering a suspected twisted ankle mere minutes on entering the fray.

Ace Olympic sprinter now turned Senator Ato Boldon did use his speed to prevent a few of Faustin’s crosses on the right side, but was nowhere to be found when Cyrus fired in the fourth goal of the game in the 67th minute.

Still the cricketers would not give up, and benefited when Smith (Dwayne) again found space in the “Strike Squad” defence and scored.

And the reintroduction of Lara almost led to another goal.

The batting genius went passed Floyd “Ninja” Lawrence on right side but his cross in the 81st minute was met by a weak header from Jamaican Chris Gayle.

Cyrus sealed the deal when he beat the off-side trap and Keiron Pollard in the 85th minute.