T&T recover to hand Scorpions first-round defeat

CMC:

Trinidad and Tobago flirted with danger yesterday before pulling off a nerve-jangling three-wicket victory over Jamaica Scorpions, on the final day of their opening round match in the West Indies Championship.

Resuming in the morning at the Brian Lara Stadium on 22 without loss in pursuit of a straightforward 81 for victory, the home side capitulated and needed rookie opener Keagan Simmons’ top score of 38 and captain Imran Khan’s cool head, in order to get over the line.

Comfortably placed on 57 for two at one stage, Red Force lost five wickets for 12 runs in a difficult period as off-spinner Jamie Merchant (3-18), fast bowler Marquino Mindley (2-3) and left-arm spinner Patrick Harty (2-21) combined to wreck the innings.

There were little signs of the drama to unfold when left-handed Isaiah Rajah shouldered arms to Mindley and was lbw without adding to his overnight eight at 34 for one.

And even when Test wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva edged low to John Campbell at first slip in Mindley’s next over at 40 for two, Red Force’s still appeared on course for a fairly uncomplicated win.

However, the strife started when Jason Mohammed’s extravagant drive at Merchant found the edge and was taken by Jermaine Blackwood at slip and Jyd Goolie followed in the next over without scoring, bowled by Harty.

Yannic Cariah (1) fell to a leg-side catch behind off Merchant with a run added at 59 for five and Simmons’ 82-ball vigil, which included five fours, ended at 60 for six when he edged to Blackwood at slip to give Merchant his third wicket.

Bryan Charles’ demise for five, bowled missing an ungainly heave at Harty, sent further chills through the innings before captain Imran Khan (10 not out) eased the tension.

Over at the Queen’s Park Oval, Guyana Harpy Eagles held their nerve to seal a tense one-wicket win over Windward Islands Volcanoes in a dramatic climax to their opening round match.

Chasing a victory target of 203, Harpy Eagles appeared well placed to complete a dominant win when they reached 89 without loss, thanks to left-handed opener Chandrapaul Hemraj’s top score of 60.

TURN OF EVENTS

In a sudden turn of events, off-spinner Kenneth Dember (5-80) and left-arm spinner Larry Edward (3-11) scythed through the innings to reduce Harpy Eagles to 140 for six before left-hander Vishaul Singh (24), Veerasammy Permaul (20 not out) and Clinton Pestano (20) produced defiant knocks to help Harpy Eagles to their total.

At Kensington Oval, defending champions, the Barbados Pride, eked out a four-wicket victory over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes thanks to an unbeaten half-century from Jonathan Carter, 71, and Keon Harding’s stodgy 23 not out.

Chasing 195 for victory after the Hurricanes 346 in the second innings thanks to Devon Thomas (112), Keacy Carty (55), Jahmar Hamilton (47), and Jeremiah Louis (44), the Pride steadily chipped away, but lost wickets regularly.

Thanks to Carter, the champions were never in trouble.

Earlier, the Pride put themselves in a good position through the efforts of Shane Dowrich (86), and Shamar Springer (91) in the first innings.