With the nation’s attention on the coronavirus, the T&T Red Force cricketers tried their utmost to give their fans something else to think about as they skittled out the Windwards for 173 in their first innings at the end of the second day of their West Indies Championship match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando on Friday.
After all-rounder Jyd Goolie recorded his first ton at the First Class level to propel T&T to 409 all out. Pacer Anderson Phillip took over to remove four batsmen for 53 runs to limit the visitors to 173 all out. They lost nine wickets because Kaveem Hodge was injured and could not take his position in the line-up.
Sent in to follow-on Windwards closed the day on four without loss having to face six overs before the close of play. When they resume today they would have to wipe out 232 runs before T&T take to the crease to chase a target.
The veteran Devon Smith and plucky wicketkeeper Emmanual Stewart were the only batsmen to show fight as Red Force had them tottering on 56 for three early in their response. The fact that they spent a day and a half in the blazing sun showed as they looked tired in their approach to their cricket.
Smith, on the other hand, showed his class at the regional game, recording his 63rd half-century. He and the busy Stewart recorded 62 runs for the fourth wicket that gave the visitors hope but when Smith left for 67 off 118 balls with six fours and two sixes, the end was near. Stewart counted 30 runs off 49 balls with four sweetly timed boundaries.
Anderson who had a six-wicket haul in the first innings of the last game against Barbados was good again bowling at pace and accuracy to finish with 4/53. The prolific wicket-taker Imran Khan added to his already impressive bag by finishing with 2/6, while Akeal Hosein nabbed 2/27.
Earlier, T&T resumed on the overnight position of 298/5 and despite the early loss of Khan, pushed on to an eventual 409 all out. Khan resuming on the bedtime score of 80 just didn’t look the part and his defence was breached by Preston McSween for 84. In the end, he faced 136 balls, hitting 11 fours. His partnership with Goolie was worth 160 runs for the sixth wicket. It fell way short of the record sixth-wicket partnership of 223 made by Richard de Souza and Charlieville Davis in 1967.
Goolie looked positive from ball one and was rode some luck as he was dropped in the slips on 93. He made good his fortune as he pressed on to a maiden First-Class century much to the joy of his family who was the only spectators at the ground in the early morning as fans stayed away due to the coronavirus.
Windwards through brilliant bowling by McSween started well and reduced T&T to 345 for nine. Goolie was then joined by pacer Anderson Phillip who looked very proficient with the bat. The two clouted 63 runs for the last wicket. Goolie was the final wicket to fall leaving for 128 off 206 balls with 16 fours and a six. Anderson would have felt hard done remaining short of his first half-century, closing on 36 not out. He faced 31 balls, striking four fours and one six.
SCORES
RED FORCE 409 (Jyd Goolie 128, Imran Khan 84, Kyle Hope 54, Jason Mohammed 45, Anderson Phillip 36 not out; Preston McSween 5-60, Kenneth Dember 3-125)
VOLCANOES 173 (Devon Smith 67, Emmanuel Stewart 30, Keron Cottoy 28; Anderson Phillip 4-53) and four without loss.
<Hurricanes (260) vs Scorpions 413-4>
NORTH SOUND, Antigua – Jamaica Scorpions, replying to Leeward Islands Hurricanes’ first innings of 260, were 413 for four at the close on the second day of their eighth round match in the Regional Four-Day Championship at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium yesterday.
SCORES
HURRICANES 260 (Alzarri Joseph 89, Jeremiah Louis 75, Jahmar Hamilton 40; Marquino Mindley 5-65, Derval Green 4-84)
SCORPIONS 413 for four (Jermaine Blackwood 196 not out, John Campbell 105 not out, Nkrumah Bonner 48)
