While the country was digesting the news that the first Coronavirus case has arrived in the country, the nation's cricketers were trying to give them something positive to think about by taking charge of their clash against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the end of day one of their West Indies Championship four-day match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando on Thursday.
The home team recovered twice during the course of the day to close on a very strong position and will be looking to further its effort today, probably hoping to bat once, on a slow track.
An unbroken partnership of 147 between Imran Khan (80) and Jyd Goolie (78) broke the back of the Windwards' efforts and although they threatened early, their seismic activity was not strong enough to force a collapse.
Red Force did the first thing right on the day by winning the toss as batting first here is always a major advantage. Although the best of the visitor's bowlers Preston McSween gave them a great start to the day by sending back opener Cephas Cooper without scoring.
Skipper Darren Bravo came in after his tour to Sri Lanka with the West Indies team and looked to repair the early loss.
Kyle Hope looked in fine fettle and although he lost his skipper for 11, he was able to stage the first recovery with the in-form Jason Mohammed.
The latter started very positively and this seemed to turn the tide for the local team. Hope timed the ball beautifully and Mohammed did likewise.
One could have noticed the shoulders of the Windwards player dropping as their out cricket mirrored their state of mind on a hot afternoon. McSween, the strong left-arm fast bowler, was the man to give them a lift and this he did. Mohammed shouldered-arms and was given out leg-before by umpire Patrick Gustard for 45.
Replays would have indicated that he might have been unlucky and he showed his disappointment by slowly trudging off the arena. His 45 came off 75 balls and included six sweetly-timed fours.
T&T would have lost a wicket at the fabled 'Nelson' 111 and one run later, it was the chance of Hope to go. The right-hander played far away from his person and lost control of his shot. He ended on 54, his second half-century in his last three innings.
T&T would then lost the up-and-coming Joshua DaSilva for 21 with the score at 151 and it was at that point that Khan and Goolie started their work. The two batted well within their means and controlled the things that they could have. They were unfussed, looked at the ball very closely and were able to take the score along.
They moved it from a position of being in a spot of bother, to one of safety and then unto strength at the end of play.
When lights were offered to the players at 5.43 pm, Khan and Goolie walked off the field and a glance of the scoreboard revealed 298/5. Khan was unbeaten on 80 off 127 balls with 10 fours. Goolie trudged off on 78 not out off 141 balls with 10 fours.
SCOREBOARD
Red Force vs Volcanoes
Red Force 1st innings
K Hope c Hodge b McSween*54
C Cooper b Sween*0
D Bravo c Stewart b Denber*11
J Mohammed lbw McSween*45
J Da Silva c Stewart b McCoy*26
J Goolie not out*78
I Khan not out*80
Extras*4
Total for 5 wkrs*298
Fall of wkts: 5, 38, 111, 112, 151.
Bowling:
P McSween 16-5-36-3,
R John 18-3-65-0,
K Denber 29.3-4-86-1,
O McCoy 9-1-54-1,
K Hodge 2.3-0-11-0,
K Cottoy 9-0-44-0.