T&T Red Force completed an undefeated run in Saturday’s final of the CG Insurance Regional Super50 tournament.
It was the first time in seven matches and behind an outstanding seventh Listed A century from the experienced opener Lendl Simmons, who blazed an imperious 146 of 145 balls, and seven wickets shared between seamer Ravi Rampaul and the youthful Jayden Seals, to turned back title-hunting Guyana Jaguars by 152 runs at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua in a day-night match.
Simmons, 36, who helped Red Force piled up a massive 362 for five off their 50 overs – the fifth-highest total in Super50 history – after being asked to bat first for the first and then veteran fast bowler Rampaul (4-52) and his teenaged compatriot Seales (3-40), then dismantled the Jaguars top order to send the innings crashing to 55 for six at the end of the 10th over.
Guardian Media Sports columnist and cricket commentator Colin Murray described the performance as Mission accomplished on Sunday.
He said: “I suggested all along that this squad selected for the Super50 tournament had one objective and that was to win the tournament. Their preparation for the tournament was measured and they knew exactly what they had to do to win the tournament. There was no messing about or experimenting with too many youngsters except perhaps for young Jaydon Seales and what a talent he is turning out to be. All the experienced campaigners shone throughout the tournament. Barring the first game when Lendl Simmons failed we had positive starts from himself (when available) and Evin Lewis.”
He continued: “Jason Mohammed after the disappointment of Bangladesh came good with the bat and all the bowlers particularly the veteran Ravi Rampaul bowled superbly and run-scoring was always difficult for the opposing batsmen at the top of their innings. Even though Mohammed and Rampaul shone through it was indeed a total team effort. All the batsmen came good when they got an opportunity to go out into the middle and as a bowling unit, they were excellent. When one considers winning the tournament was achieved without Sunil Narine (missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury) kudos must be given to the bowlers as they all contributed like the batsmen at some time during the tournament.”
Murray, a former Fatima graduate applauded the captain Kieron Pollard. “He was easily the best leader in the tournament. Tactically he knew when to attack and put the batsmen under pressure. More importantly, he had the players playing as a team. It is the first time for many years I have witnessed a T&T team playing as a unit and fighting for one another and kudos to Pollard and coach David Furlonge for injecting a certain pride in their performance and team spirit in the squad that seemed lacking for so many years. Pollard demands a certain performance from his players and he settles for nothing less than 100%. The other teams have a lot of work to do to reach the standard of the T&T team. Many of them looked disjointed, underprepared and unfit for a tough tournament. There were some encouraging performances from some individual players but all the teams should take a page out of the Red Force book if they are to match or even topple this Red Force machine.”
Baldath Mahabir, a for Cricket West Indies (CWI) director, who is overjoyed with the team’s performance told Guardian Media Sports yesterday that: “Our team was professional, consistent and dynamic throughout the tournament. From our opening match vs the Leeward Islands to the final against Guyana Jaguars, the team’s performances displayed great preparation, planning, leadership combined with effective implementation.”
The president of First Citizens Clarke Road United said: “All of our senior players oozed confidence, with their abundant skills having been honed and developed throughout their years of playing on the professional circuit worldwide. We have demonstrated, over the last two decades or so, our love and passion for the shorter forms of the game, and our 13 50 and seven T20 regional titles are testimony to this. It is my hope that this victory inspires our population and the entire region to encourage and support all sporting endeavours, in all disciplines, as it will only result in happier, healthier and better citizens. Well played to Messrs Pollard, coach David Furlonge, team manager Sebastian Edwards and the full squad of Red Force Champions.”