WICB 4 Day Championship February 11th 2009

Rain, CCC hold TT to draw

T&T’s quest for top honours in the West Indies Cricket Board Four-Day championship received a major blow when rain wreaked havoc on the final day’s play of their fifth round contest against the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the UWI Ground in St Augustine, yesterday.

Needing an outright win to keep their chances alive in the seven-team competition, T&T hopes were dashed when heavy rain curtailed play for the remainder of the day, after one hour of action in the morning’s session. Umpires Birbal and Balgobin called of the game at 3pm.

The match ended in a draw with T&T taking first innings points against the students.

Earlier, CCC resumed their innings at 9.30 am, on 43 for two still needing a further four runs to erase the deficit.

Skipper Simon Jackson was on 29 not out and night watchman Ryan Austin one.

The pair carried the score to 71 for two before a heavy downpour sent the players scampering off the field at 10.30 am.

However, it was just enough time for Jackson to score his first First-Class half-century in the 2009 season, when he guided medium-pacer Kieron Pollard to the fine-leg boundary for four.

Jackson’s milestone came in 121 minutes, from 102 balls and included seven fours.

Jackson was unbeaten on 52 and Austin four when the showers came.

Sherwin Ganga who registered his highest First-Class score of 90 to guide T&T to first innings points was named “ Man of the Match” by former West Indies Test off-spinner and Match Adjudicator, Rangy Nanan.

Rampaul given green light

Meanwhile, former T&T middle-order batsman and Chief Selector of the senior national team, Narine Bidhesi said that he was not too satisfied with the team’s overall performance.

“ I am not totally satisfied with the overall performance of the team. The bowling was not as penetrative as was expected, the batting did not click as it should have, with the exception of Sherwin Ganga and Lendl Simmons. The fielding was below the standard set in previous matches this season,” Bidhesi said.

He said that the team will be looking to be more positive against the Leeward Islands this weekend. We are going to be bolstered by the availability of Ravi Rampaul. Ravi (Rampaul) has been given the green light to play against the Leewards and that is a good sign for the team. We are hopeful that Darren Bravo will also be able to return, since Simmons (Lendl) has been elevated to the West Indies Test squad,” Bidhesi added.

And skipper Daren Ganga stated that he is disappointed with the outcome of the match but added that he has no control over the weather.

Ganga hinted that there maybe some changes in the team for this weekend’s game against the Windwards.

“Young Imran Khan is in line for a game. He has been doing quite well in the domestic matches. And we are happy that Ravi (Rampaul) is coming back after injury. We need to do well against the Leewards to stay alive in the series,” Ganga said.

T&T collected six points from the encounter, while CCC picked up three. T&T remains in fourth position in the standings on 27 points, behind Jamaica on 42, Barbados 39 and the Windward Islands 36.

T&T will play their sixth round match against the Leeward Islands starting on Friday at the same venue.

SCOREBOARD

At UWI Grounds
T&T v Combined Campuses & Colleges

CCC 1st Inns 315
T&T 1st Inns 362
CCC 2nd Inns (o/n 43-2)
O Phillip c Pollard b Alert*0
S Jackson not out*52
N Parris c Guillen b Badree*10
R Austin not out*4
Extras (3lb, 1nb, 1w)*5
TOTAL (for 2 wkts – 30.4 overs)*71
Wkts: 0, 40.
Bowling: Atiba Alert 8-1-11-1 (1nb, 1w), Richard Kelly 8-2-27-0, Samuel Badree 4-0-12-1, Sherwin Ganga 1-0-2-0, Amit Jaggernauth 5-3-5-0, Kieron Pollard 4.4-2-11-0.
Result: Match drawn.
Points: T&T 6, CCC 3
Man of Match: Sherwin Ganga.

Standings after the fifth round

TEAMS*M*W*L*D*PTS 

Jamaica*4*3*0*1*42 
Barbados*5*3*1*1*39 
Windwards*5*3*2*0*36 
T&T*4*1*0*3*27 
Leewards*4*1*3*0*16
CCC*4*1*2*1*15 
Guyana*4*0*4*0*4