A sensational collapse which saw T&T lose 10 wickets for 55 runs, gave the Windwards Islands a massive 234-run victory in the semi-final of the Headley/Weekes Regional Four-day tournament at the Queen's Park Oval on the third day yesterday.
The man doing the damage was Kenroy Peters. The left-arm pacer grabbed seven for 36, as T&T, chasing a victory target of 340 runs, slipped from 50 without loss to 105 all out. With the win the Windwards would now move on to play in the finals of the tournament.
Peters, who copped the man of the match award, played for First Citizens Clarke Road in Penal for many years. He bowled wicket to wicket and with variation of pace and a little movement, was able to outfox the local batsmen.
Imran Khan, with five wickets had earlier given T&T an outside chance of winning by bowling out the Windwards for 231 in their second innings. However, the local batsmen failed to apply themselves.
Simmons and Evin Lewis gave their team a good start adding 50 for the first wicket. The former came out guns blazing and cracked seven fours in 31 off 33 balls, before he was the first of Peters' wicket.
Darren Bravo, whose poor form continues, slammed two fours before he left for eight with the score at 59. He was caught by Keddy Lesporis to close off a disappointing First Class season. The game was as good as over a few minutes later when Lewis became Peters' second victim. He was leg before for 17 having faced 32 balls. Jason Mohammed came and went, courtesy Peters and the Windwards were celebrating a place in the finals when the double strike ended the resistance of the last main resistance in skipper Denesh Ramdin and Rayad Emrit.
Earlier, the Windwards resumed on the strong position of 88 for two and in their quest for quick runs lost wickets at regular intervals. Without addition to their overnight score, they lost Sunil Ambris to Rayad Emrit for 13.
Their mainstay Devon Smith who started the day on 44, went on to register his half century but fell to T&T 'luckyman' Jason Mohammed. The left hander struck 63 off 110 balls in 130 minute batting. He struck nine fours in his crucial knock. At the fall of his wicket at 113 for four, T&T would have hoped for a swift end to their innings but it was not to be as Keddy Lesporis with a 51-ball 26 kept the runs flowing and it took a three-wicket burst from leg-spinner Imran Khan before lunch to arrest the scoring.
Lesporis, Rommell Currency (10) and Mervyn Mathew (4) all fell within the space of 34 runs. When the lunch van pulled up, the Windwards were 201 for seven - an overall lead of 309 runs.
Soon after the resumption, Khan with the help of Ricky Jaipaul wrapped up the innings, as the visitors were bowled out for 231 - setting T&T 340 for victory. Khan finished with 5/46 to take his match haul to 9/105 and he finishes the season as T&T's best bowler with 33 wickets.
In the other match, Jamaica, chasing 167 for victory, reached 106 for two at the close against Barbados at Kensington Oval.
Jamaica vs Barbados
BARBADOS 245 (Shane Dowrich 69 not out, Ashley Nurse 45, Omar Phillips 33, Shai Hope 28, Ashley Nurse 25 not out; Sheldon Cottrell 3-28, Damion Jacobs 3-58, Dave Bernard 2-32) and 223 (Jonathan Carter 111, Kraigg Brathwaite 32, Shai Hope 22; Jerome Taylor 3-37, Nikita Miller 3-52, Sheldon Cottrell 2-31)
JAMAICA 302 (Tamar Lambert 121, David Bernard Jr 42, Jermaine Blackwood 37, John Campbell 31, Nkrumah Bonner 23; Sulieman Benn 5-102, Ashley Nurse 2-47, Fidel Edwards 2-58) and 106 for two (Jermaine Blackwood 53 not out, Andre McCarthy 41 not out)
SCOREBOARD
T&T vs Windwards
Windwards 1st inns 248
T&T 1st inns 140/8 dec
Windwards 2nd inns
(overnight 88/2)
D Smith c Emrit b Mohammed 63
T Theophille lbw Emrit 11
J Charles c Hosein b Jaipaul 11
S Ambris c Ramdin b Emrit 13
K Lesporis c Ramdin b Khan 26
R Currency st Ramdin b Khan 10
L Sebastien not out 33
M Mathew c Bravo b Khan 4
K Peters c Mohammed b Khan 4
D Johnson c Bravo b Jaipaul 7
N Pascal c Ramdin b Khan 17
Extras 3nb, 7lb, 9b 19
Total all out 231
Fall of wkts: 45, 60, 88, 113, 148, 150, 182, 205, 212, 231.
Bowling: S Gabriel 9-2-27-0, M Richards 4-1-8-0, L Simmons 1-0-2-0, R Emrit 11-4-35-2, R Jaipaul 11-2-35-2, I Khan 13.2-3-46-5, J Mohammed 9-2-21-2, A Hosein 10-0-41-0.
T&T 2nd inns
L Simmons c Charles b Peters 31
E Lewis lbw Peters 17
D Bravo c Lesporis b Mathew 8
J Mohammed c Charles b Peters 12
A Hosein run out 4
D Ramdin c Charles b Peters 7
R Emrit lbe Peters 2
I Khan c Currency b Peters 7
M Richards c Lesporis b Peters 0
S Gabriel lbw Mathew 5
R Jaipaul not out 0
Extras 3nb, 1lb, 8b 12
Total all out 105
Fall of wkts: 50, 59, 59, 80, 80,87, 90, 90, 105, 105.
Bowling: K Peters 12-5-16-2, D Johnson 4-1-20-0, N Pascal 3-0-24-0, K Peters 10.2-5-36-7.
Result: Windwards won by 234 runs.
Man of the match: Kenroy Peters.