Vin­ode Mam­chan

All-rounder Im­ran Khan fol­lowed up his sev­en-wick­et haul in the last tri­al match with a top score of 63 as his team, the Rayad Em­rit XI, reached 281 for nine against the De­nesh Ramdin XI at the end of the first day of the na­tion­al crick­et tri­al at the Na­tion­al Crick­et Cen­tre (NCC) in Cou­va, yes­ter­day.

Khan was the top scor­er in the in­nings, prop­ping up the mid­dle or­der with his 129-ball knock which in­clud­ed eight fours. At the top of the or­der, Justin Guillen and Evin Lewis post­ed an im­pres­sive open­ing stand of 80 runs. Guillen, who has belt­ed three cen­turies in the tri­als to date, fell for 36 off 52 balls with five fours, while Lewis cracked 42 off 60 balls with six fours and a six.

Skip­per Em­rit al­so got among the runs and scored a quick­fire 29 with two fours and two six­es. And to­wards the end of the day, Khary Pierre showed his pedi­gree with the bat, stroking 48 off 85 balls with six fours. He and San­jeev Gool­jar, who re­mained 26 not out, added 65 runs for the ninth wick­et.

Queen's Park all-rounder Akiel Ho­sein con­tin­ued his good form with the ball and took 4/109 off 30 marathon overs, while fel­low Parkite Amit Jag­ger­nauth snared 2/79 off 34 overs.The tri­als con­tin­ue to­day from 10 am.

TRI­AL SCORES

Rayad Em­rit XI 281/9 (Im­ran Khan 63, Evin Lewis 42, Justin Guillen 36, Khary Pierre 48, Rayad Em­rit 29, San­jeev Gool­jar 26 n.o., Akiel Ho­sein 4/109, Amit Jag­ger­nauth 2/79)