Rain played spoiler to the fifth round of matches in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) Premier League on the weekend as teams on the lower part of the standings took advantage to close the gap.
Reigning champions and league leaders Central Sports came closest to a win, missing victory by just five runs despite the ‘April Showers’. Mikkel Govia shone with both bat and ball, which included a ten-wicket effort in a match which ended drawn.
Yorkshire made 160 batting first, with Akeel Mohammed getting to 76. Mikkel Govia got four for 46 as he was the pick of the Central Sport bowlers.
In reply, Govia returned with the bat, missing a hundred by two runs. He hit 98. Deron Davis, who took two for 35, made 43 in support of the St Lucia Kings, Caribbean Premier League winner. Central Sports, who surrendered the TTCB/TKR T20 Festival last month, put their disappointment aside and scored 245 in their first match since the T20 Festival to claim an 85-run first innings lead.
Despite the rain interruptions, Central Sports tried to force a result. Yorkshire were bowled out for 187. Quinci Babel top scored with 57, and Mario Belcon scored 45.
Govia completed his ten-wicket match haul with figures of six for 81 to finish the match with ten for 127.
Set 103 to win, Central Sports reached 98 for 5 in 14 overs as they tried to push for the win but fell five runs short.
In an all-South battle, Profilbau Victoria were able to get first innings points over Powergen Sports as that match turned into a first innings affair.
Powergen captain Akeil Cooper scored 73 after they were asked to bat first. They totalled 190, with Jordan Samkaran claiming five wickets for 60 runs.
Victoria, in their reply, got 81 from out-of-favour Guyana cricketer Akshaya Persaud and 43 from Eton Bhal as they overhauled Powergen’s 190 to take first innings points and a lead of 28 runs. Jon-Russ Jagessar and Navin Bidaisee took eight wickets each as the match ended in a predictable draw.
