Rayad Emrit has been to three Champions League T20 tournaments for this country and has had little play but the allrounder is shaping up to be one of the main men for this country, as they head to their fourth Champions League tournament in a few weeks time.Emrit one of the most improved cricketers in the region, underlined his excellent form with a brilliant spell of fast medium bowling on Friday night, grabbing 5/16 to give this country a narrow four-run win over the Windward Islands in their warm up clash at the Mindoo Phillip Park in Dominica.Emrit's effort saw the Windwards bowled out for 148 chasing T&T's 152. Andre Fletcher spanked a hurricane 87 and threatened to take the game away from T&T but Emrit and company had other ideas. With the right hander hitting everything out of sight much to the delight of the 5,000 fans in the stands and with 36 runs needed from 36 balls, skipper Denesh Ramdin, who had an excellent game, made an inspired choice. He threw the ball to wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran and he got rid of Fletcher for 87. The Grenadian faced 53 balls hitting four fours and five sixes.
After his dismissal the innings fell apart and the Red Force was able to come back and win the game. With 11 runs needed off the final over, off-spinner Sherwin Ganga held his nerve to bring it home. Emrit however was the star of the show with 5/16, while leg-spinner Samuel Badree grabbed 3/23 and mystery spinner Sunil Narine conceded just 10 runs from his four overs. Ramdin was brilliant behind the sticks in collecting five catches and a stumping.Earlier he was also brilliant in front of the sticks, as he scored 33 to steady his team and carry them to their eventual 152 for five off 20 overs. Ramdin faced just 25 balls for his runs and continued the good work that was started by opener Evin Lewis who got 46 off 32 balls with five sixes and three fours. Also among the runs was Jason Mohammed who got 39 off 33 balls with three sixes and a four.
Manager of the team Omar Khan speaking after the game said: "It is important that this team gets into that winning habit. This game represented another win for the guys, after their win and loss in Guyana last weekend. The boys got the win which was important and they will be looking to win the other match today (last night) and go to India feeling confident."We still need to do some work in the batting department and we will be focusing on this ahead of the Champions League. Also, some of the bowlers have to work on their game a lot more. Emrit has been brilliant, Narine and Badree were good, but the others have a lot to do."
SCOREBOARD
T&T vs Windwards
T&T inns
A Barath c George b Mark 3
E Lewis c Mark b Titre 46
D Bravo c Robinson b James 12
J Mohammed c Robinson b Casimir 39
D Ramdin b Casimir 33
N Pooran not out 15
Extras 4
Total for 5 wkts 152
Fall of wkts: 28, 59, 65, 137, 152.
Bowling: Lewis 1-0-13-0, R Casimir 4-0-34-2, E Mark 4-0-25-1, V Titre 4-0-19-1, K James 4-0-37-1, K Hodge 3-0-21-1.
Windwards Inns
J Charles c Ramdin b Emrit 20
J Robinson b Badree 0
A Fletcher c Ramdin b Pooran 87
K Hodge b Badree 4
D Smith c Ramdin b Badree 0
K James b Emrit 2
R Casimir c Ramdin b Emrit 8
E Mark c Ramdin b Emrit 6
O George not out 4
V James c Emrit 0
V Titre st Ramdin b Ganga 6
Extras 11
Total all out (20) 148
Fall of wkts: 1, 29, 49, 49, 60, 123, 131, 141, 141, 148.
Bowling: S Badree 4-0-23-3, S Gabriel 3-0-52-0, S Narine 4-0-10-0, R Emrit 4-0-16-5, S Ganga 4-0-36-1, N Pooran 1-0-11-0.
Result: T&T won by 4 runs.