Keagan Simmons used his omission from the T&T Red Force team, which is currently in a battle against Barbados Pride, as motivation, as he slammed 108 for Central Sports away to Clarke Road in the final round of the T&T Cricket Board Premiership Division I, Friday.
The opener scored his second hundred of the season for Central Sports as he is making a case for a recall in the Red Force team for the last round against Jamaica next week at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando. Simmons hit 11 fours in his 154-ball knock that propelled Central Sports to 235/7 at the end of day one.
He was assisted by all-rounder Terrence Hinds, playing as a batsman as he is nursing an injury that is keeping him out of the Red Force team. Hinds scored an unbeaten 64 off 121 balls with five fours and one six.
Bowling for Clarke Road, Yannick Ottley was the best bowler for the Penal team, taking 3 for 44, while Samuel Roopnarine supported the out-of-favour Red Force opener with figures of 2/46.
Across at Gilbert Park in Couva, Cephas Cooper also sounded a call to the national selectors with 107 against Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) II.
Cooper belted 107 from 139 balls, hitting 139 balls in the process. The 23-year-old right-handed opening batsman counted 16 fours and two sixes as he is pushing a recall to the Red Force team, having played in 2020 against Windward Islands Volcanoes and Barbados Pride.
He had support from Navin Bidiasee, who scored an unbeaten 46 from 64 balls with five fours and Akiel Cooper, who scored a run-a-ball 43 with two fours and three sixes.
Bowling for Queen’s Park’s second team, former West Indies Under-19 all-rounder Matthew Patrick took 3/77 as QPCC II’s best bowler.
Brief scores:
At Gilbert Park, Couva:
Powergen 279/6 in 59 overs (Cephas Cooper 107, Navin Bidiassee 46 not out, Akeil Cooper 43, Matthew Patrick 3 for 77) vs QPCC II.
At Pierre Road, Chaguanas:
Comets 175 (Denzil Antoine 51, Reval Ramnarine 26, Isaiah Rajah 4 for 33, Sion Hackett 3 for 34) vs QPCC I 19/0.
At Clarke Road, Penal:
Central Sports 235 for 7 in 65 overs (Keagan Simmons 108, Terrence Hinds 64 not out, Yannick Ottley 3 for 44, Samuel Roopnarine 2 for 46) vs Clark Road.
At Inshan Ali Park, Preysal:
Preysal 148 vs Victoria Utd 68/3.