Although captain Kirstan Kallicharan and opening batsman Keagan Simmons had good performances yesterday for the national under-15 cricket team, they narrowly lost first innings to the Windward Islands as action bowled off in the West Indies Cricket Board Regional Under-15 tournament in Jamaica.
Bowling first at the Manley Horn Ground, T&T dismissed the Windward Islands for 135 in exactly 33 overs. Each team were allotted 33 overs in the first innings, rather than 37 overs due to a late start. Kallicharan showed that he is not only lethal with the bat, taking 5/19 with his right-arm leg spin. He was ably supported by Joel Sutherland and Emilio Gopaul, who grabbed 3/14 and 2/19 respectively.
Sutherland was the most economical, only conceding 14 runs in ten overs. Johnell Eugene top-scored with 42 for the Windwards. T&T would have been disappointed that the Windwards got to 135, because at one stage, they were 55/4 after 20 overs. T&T leaked 80 runs in the last 13 overs.
In reply, left-handed Simmons struck a half-century (56), as T&T got to 133/5 off their 33 overs. This gave the Windwards a slim two-run lead on first innings. Simmons was supported by Kallicharan, who made 30. Auck Anthenaze was the pick of the bowlers, snatching 2/31.
Speaking to the T&T Guardian from Jamaica, manager Anthony Ramjit said "We will try to perform better tomorrow, to force an outright (win)."In other matches, Barbados also grabbed a small first innings lead against Jamaica and Guyana are in control against the Leeward Islands.
SCORES
At Manley Horn: Windwards Islands 135 (33 overs) (Johnell Eugene 42, Kirstan Kallicharan 5/19, Joel Sutherland 3/14, Emilio Gopaul 2/19) vs T&T 133/5 (33 overs) (Keagan Simmons 56, Kallicharan 30, Batoosingh 14, Auck Anthenaze 2/31)
At St Elizabeth Technical: Jamaica 149/6 (41 overs) and 68/2 vs Barbados 157/8 (40 overs).
At Alpart: Leeward Islands 46 (35 overs) vs Guyana 75/3