Experienced T&T middle-order batsman Jason Mohammed stole the spotlight as the Powergen legend added 90 runs to his overnight tally of 134 to complete a double hundred on Saturday.
This is as South posted over 500 runs to be in control of the Namalco North-South Classic at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando.
The North bowlers toiled in the sun at first, then the floodlights as South batted all of day three to close the day with a healthy 206-run lead.
South resumed their overnight innings on 273 for 3 with Mohammed on 134 and Jyd Goolie on 24. They added a further 112 runs before Goolie was bowled by Isaiah ‘Big Raj’ Rajah for 56 which included eight fours.
Crystian Thurton then joined Mohammed and together they put on another 27 runs before Mohammed’s marathon knock finally came to an end on 224, inclusive of 26 fours and three sixes and spanned 324 balls. Philton Williams induced the edge of Mohammed’s bat for one of Antonio Gomez’s four catches as the young gloveman is in direct competition with Daniel Williams to stand behind the stumps against Combined Campuses and Colleges at month’s end.
Shatrughan Rambaran made just three, falling to the Gomez-Williams combination before a partnership of 105 between Thurton and Daniel Williams took the score from 424 for 6 to 539 for 7.
Thurton, who was at the centre of controversy when he was not involved in the trial matches for the Red Force for last year’s Super 50, left no doubt this time around about his willingness and readiness to play, with a handy 69 that only came to an end when Tion Webster forced him to edge to Gomez. Thurton had counted three fours in his innings.
Williams did himself a huge favour for a Red Force selection with 56 including five fours but was trapped in front of the stumps to a Khary Pierre delivery.
At stumps, South closed on 552 for 6, a lead of 206 runs.
Summarised scores
North 346 (90 overs) (Andrew Rambaran 84; Joshua James 59; Justin Manick 5-74; Aadian Racha 2-58) vs South 552/8 (169 overs) (Jason Mohammed 224; Cephas Cooper 98; Philton Wiliams 3-84; Tion Webster 2-73).
