Batsmen Shatrughan Rambaran and Cephas Cooper both scored unbeaten centuries as the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force team beat the Trinidad and Tobago Bolivarian XI by five wickets at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain on Monday.
The teams are preparing for the CG United Super 50 Tournament to be held in Trinidad and the Bolivarian Games to be held in Peru, South America. Both tournaments will get underway later this month, with the CG United bowling off on the 19th and the Bolivarian Games bowling off on the 22nd.
The Bolivarian XI batted first and got an opening stand of 38 between Daniel Williams (5) and Kamil Pooran (32) before Williams offered a catch to Cephas Cooper off the bowling of Abdul-Raheem Toppin in the fourth over.
In the next over, bowled by Terrence Hinds, Pooran was caught by Toppin to leave the Bolivarian XI at 40 for two.
Teshawn Castro, who came in at the wicket with Williams’ dismissal, was then joined by Kyle Ramdoo, and together they put on 140 for the third wicket, which spanned 20 overs and three balls. Castro pounded seven sixes and six fours in his knock of 92 from just 64 balls, sending the ball to all parts of the Tragerete Road venue.
Castro was out stumped, outfoxed by leg spinner Yannic Cariah to leave the Bolivarian Games-bound team at 180 for three. Four runs and five balls later, Kyle Ramdo departed for 46 when he was caught by Jyd Goolie off the bowling of another leg spinner, Navin Bidaisee. Joshua Davis joined Crystian Thurton, and together they took the score from 184 for 4 and carried the team to 228 for 5 in just six overs and one ball before Davis was caught by Goolie to give Toppin his second wicket.
Thurton, who made an unbeaten 49, was supported by Leonardo Julien (24) as the Bolivarian XI closed on 317 for 9 in 44 overs, reduced from 50 because of rain.
In their reply, the CG United Super 50-bound team, with a reduced DLS target of 305, lost Kjorn Ottley (6) with the score on six. He was caught by Ramdoo off the bowling of Shaaron Lewis. That only made things worse for the Bolivarian XI as Cooper joined Rambaran. They put on 197 as they dominated the bowling. Rambaran smashed nine fours and seven sixes in his 103, while Cooper belted 13 fours and three sixes in his 100; they were both unbeaten, as they chose to close their innings by retiring after reaching 100. Both batters matched and bettered the effort from Castro as they sent the Bolivarian XI fielders scampering to all parts of the ground, and sometimes the stands.
After their voluntary departures, Shaaron Lewis took the opportunity to claw into the Red Force innings, with four more wickets as he finished with five for 60. However, Jason Mohammed (35) and Tion Webster (24) helped the Red Force team reach the target to complete the five-wicket DLS win.
MONDAY’S SCORES
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BOLIVARIAN XI 317 /9 (44 Overs) (Teshawn Castro 92; Crystian Thurton 49; Kyle Ramdoo 46; Abdul Raheem Toppin 3-68; Terrence Hinds 2-42; RIcky Jaipaul 2-42) vs TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO RED FORCE 305 /5 (36.2 Overs) (Shatrughan Rambaran 103*; Cephas Cooper 100; Shaaron Lewis 5-60). Trinidad and Tobago Red Force won by 5 wickets.
