Batting has been their bugbear this season and today T&T Red Force batsmen will look to put that to rest with a meaningful display against Jamaica on the fourth and final day of their WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) clash at the Queen's Park Oval.
After their bowlers restricted Jamaica to 196, the batsmen were set a victory target off 239 runs. Left to negotiate 11 overs, T&T closed on 24 for one. When play resumes today at 9.30am, they will need another 215 runs from 90 overs. The lone casualty was left hander Evin Lewis who was caught at bat/pad for 10.
On a day when rain robbed the small crowd of 156 minutes and 30 overs, the T&T bowlers kept their side in the game. The target could have been lower but a stubborn last wicket stand of 37 runs between topscorer Nikita Miller (40 not out) and Sheldon Cottrell 11, left Jamaica with the edge.
The two came to the crease at 159 for nine and Miller batted very well in gathering what could turn out to be a match-winning knock. He batted for 105 minutes and faced 93 balls, hitting two fours. The pick of the Red Force bowlers was debutant Daniel St. Clair 3/38, spinner Akeal Hosein 2/17 and skipper Rayad Emrit 2/39.
Jamaica resumed on 92 for four and Emrit made an immediate breakthrough sending back his opposite number Tamar Lambert for 21. Leg spinner Imran Khan then bowled the experienced Dave Bernard for seven and the visitors slipped to 108 for six. Minutes after the heavens opened again and as the cricketers ran off the Oval field, the groundsmen ran on with big blue tarpaulins.
After the lunch break T&T continued to apply the pressure and added another three quick wickets, as St. Clair, Marlon Richards and Hosein got wickets. Nightwatchman Damian Jacobs was stubborn and kept the locals at bay for quite a while, until St. Clair had him caught and bowled for 29.
SCOREBOARD
TT Red Force vs Jamaica
Jamaica 1st inns 172 all out
T&T 1st inns 131 all out
Jamaican 2nd inns
(overnight 92/4)
J Campbell lbw Emrit 1
S Thomas b St Clair 46
N Bonner run out 2
A McCarthy lbw St Clair 21
T Lambert lbw Emrit 21
D Jacobs c & b St Clair 29
D Bernard b Khan 7
C Baugh c Ottley b Richards 1
N Miller not out 40
M Mindley c Simmons b Hosein 5
S Cottrell lbw Hosein 11
Extras 4nb, 6lb, 1b 11
Total all out 196
Fall of wkts: 2, 24, 65, 80, 93, 108, 119, 144, 159, 196.
Bowling: M Richards 9-1-25-1, I Khan 23-4-67-1, R Emrit 16-7-39-2, D St Clair 10-3-38-3, A Hosein 14.5-7-17-2, J Mohammed 1-0-2-0.
T&T 2nd inns
L Simmons not out 8
E Lewis c Thomas b Miller 10
M Richards not out 0
Extras 4b, 1nb, 1lb 6
Total for 1 wkt 24
Fall of wkts: 23.
Bowling: S Cottrell 3-2-7-0, M Mindley 1-0-6-0, D Jacobs 3-2-1-0, N Miller 4-2-5-1.
Other Scores:
GUYANA 261 (Anthony Bramble 73, Shimron Hetmyer 47, Rajendra Chandrika 34; Ryan Hinds 4-50, Dwayne Smith 2-20, Jomel Warrican 2-52)
BARBADOS 101 (Dwayne Smith 32; Veerasammy Permaul 8-26) and 214 for seven (Ryan Hinds 60 not out, Shane Dowrich 50, Kyle Corbin 35; Devendra Bishoo 4-65, Veerasammy Permaul 2-65)
HURRICANES 109 and 334
VOLCANOES 308 for 5 dec?