WICB 4 Day Championship - T&T vs Leeward Islands
February 15th-16th 2009

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4

Day 1: Barath blazes Leewards

Pint-sized T&T opening batsman Adrian Barath fashioned a spectacular hundred against the Leeward Islands, to enhance the Carnival celebrations which took place at the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.

On the opening day of the crucial sixth round fixture of the West Indies Cricket Board Four-day fixture, the 19-year-old Barath struck a magnificent unbeaten 163 to guide the title chasing T&T to a position of strength on 280 four at the close of an extended day’s play.

The left-handed Sherwin Ganga is the other not out batsman on 20.

It was Barath’s third Regional First-Class hundred, to follow his maiden century of 131 against this same team in 2007 at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain,Couva and 101 against the Windward Islands at Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre also in 2007.

He also eclipsed his previous best score of 132 made against England earlier this month at Warner Park in St Kitts.

The former West Indies youth batsman has so far batted for 362 minutes and has struck 21 fours and two massive sixes.

Earlier, under over cast conditions at the venue in East Trinidad, the Leewards led by discarded West Indies batsman Runako Morton won the toss and inserted the homesters.

The visitors left out Steve Liburd and Akito Willett from their 13-man squad, while T&T dropped Samuel Badree, Richard Kelly and Navin Stewart from their final eleven, which allowed former West Indies youth off-spinner Sunil

Narine to make his regional First-Class debut.

Justin Guillen filled the opening spot left vacant by Lendl Simmons who is on duty with the West Indies team against England in Antigua.

Partnered by regular opening batsman, Barath, Guillen for once failed to impress and was trapped in front to pacer Robert Joseph for seven with the total on 13, thus justifying Morton’s decision to field first.

However, Barath took over the show with skipper Daren Ganga bent on playing the supporting role.

Barath brought up his half-century with an extravagant cover drive of medium pacer Gavin Tonge. His landmark came in 74 minutes off 58 balls and was enriched with nine glorious fours.

An early lunch was taken because of rain and T&T went to the interval on 89 for one with Barath on 55 and Ganga (D) 19.

On the resumption, Barath continued to flay the mediocre Leewards’ bowling attack with a wide array of shots on either side of the wicket.

He reached his century with a boundary of out-of-favour West Indies off-spinner Omari Banks, much to the delight of the UWI students who were in a festive mood during their Carnival celebrations yesterday.

It came in 150 minutes off 117 balls and was embellished with 17 fours and a six. Barath and Ganga (D) featured in an enterprising second wicket partnership of 159 in 167 minutes, before the latter departed for a solid 48.

Ganga (D) was caught at the wicket by Devon Thomas off Tonge’s bowling.

Prolific run-getter in the local domestic competitions, Imran Khan joined Barath and in tandem they carried the score to 189 for two at the tea interval.

After the break, Khan (22) was the victim of a dubious leg before wicket decision by umpire Rawle Richards from the bowling of spinner Anthony Martin as T&T slipped to 221 for three.

T&T lost Kieron Pollard (7) with the score on 242 but Barath found another useful partner in Ganga (S) and together they played out safely to the end at 5.45 pm.

There was one wicket apiece for Joseph (1-37), Willett (1-49), Martin (1-58) and Tonge (1-75).

Meanwhile, history was made when Richard Littleborough became the first Englishman to officiate in a regional match in Trinidad.

Littleborough has presided close to 130 First-Class matches and is 35 years old and played County Cricket for Yorkshire. He is expected to officiate in the one-dayers between England and Australia this summer.

SCOREBOARD

T&T v LEEWARDS

Day 2: TT vs Leewards

Impressive all-rounder Imran Khan made a successful return to the T&T senior cricket team as he picked up a five-wicket haul, to guide his side to first innings lead against the Leeward Islands on the second day of their sixth round match of the West Indies Cricket Board Four-day championship, yesterday at the Sir Frank Worrell Grounds at the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.

A right-arm leg spinner, Khan bagged five wickets for 33 runs, as the visitors chasing T&T’s challenging first innings total of 349 were bundled out for 221.

T&T with a healthy lead of 129 closed on 13 without loss, an overall lead of 142 runs with all their wickets intact and two full day’s play in the contest remaining.

Khan’s superb effort was brilliantly supported with some superb fielding and catching under the astute captaincy of Daren Ganga.

Khan who is the captain of Alescon Comets team, received admirable support from West Indies One-day player, Ravi Rampaul who picked up three for 71 after being absent for the first five round of matches through an injury to his index finger on his bowling right hand.

Khan who claimed the last two wickets of the Leewards’ innings will be on a hat-trick when the opposition take their second turn at the crease.

Discarded West Indies players Runako Morton and Omari Banks both scored 55 and were the only batsmen to offer resistance along with former West Indies youth wicket-keeper Devon Thomas who made a workmanlike 34.

Earlier, T&T resumed on 280 for four, with pint-sized Adrian Barath on 163 and Sherwin Ganga 20, but in a bid to score quick runs, the innings folded just inside the first session. Barath was first to go bowled by pacer Gavin Tonge for a brilliant 192. The 19-year-old Presentation College, Chaguanas batted for 411 minutes, faced 287 balls and struck 23 fours and three massive sixes.

The remaining T&T batsmen failed to come on terms against the probing pace of Tonge barring the exception of Sherwin Ganga who made a polished 39. Tonge was the pick of the Leewards’ bowlers with six for 86.

Left with four overs batting before the lunch interval, the Leewards lost the wicket of opening Montcin Hodge (0) caught by Justin Guillen at third slip of Rampaul’s bowling and went to lunch on 10 for one.

On the resumption, the Leewards were at bay against the attacking spin and pace attack employed by skipper Ganga and lost wickets on a regular basis, with Khan being the main architect. T&T were held up by two important partnerships.

Morton and Shane Jeffers added 41 off 83 balls for the fourth wicket, while Banks and Thomas shared in a sixth wicket stand of 81 off 130 balls.

Morton’s 55 came in 147 minutes off 95 balls and contained three fours and one six, while Banks batted for 111 minutes, faced 90 balls and hit five fours and one six.

SCOREBOARD

AT UWI
T&T v LEEWARD ISLANDS

Day 3: Rain frustrates T&T

T&T’s chances of securing an outright win against the Leeward Islands were severely affected after heavy rains during the post lunch period yesterday, forced play to be abandoned for the remainder of the day.

Umpires Rawle Richards and Richard Littleborough called off play after an inspection at 3.30 pm.

Play will start today at 9.30 am weather permitting.

Seeking full points to stay in contention for championship honour in the sixth round of the West Indies Four-day league, T&T were in position of strength on rain-ruined third day’s play at 101 for one in their second innings, at the UWI grounds in St Augustine, for an overall lead of 229 with nine wickets remaining and one day in the rain interrupted contest to be played.

SCORES: T&T 349 & : LEEWARDS 221.

Earlier, T&T resumed on 13 without loss, an overall lead of 141, with Barath and Justin Guillen on three runs apiece.

But with the addition of just nine runs, the left-handed Guillen (8) was snapped up by Omari Banks at gully off pacer Garvin Tonge’s bowling.

Inspirational skipper Daren Ganga joined T&T’s first innings century maker, Barath, and together they went on the attack against the Leewards’ bowling. Barath, in particular, was the most aggressive of the two, taking four boundaries off pacer Robert Joseph’s sixth over, before rain held up play at 10.43, with T&T on 60 for one, and Barath on 32 and Ganga 13. After the rain break, play re-started at 11.13 am, and the duo continued to dominate the bowling with consummate ease.

Barath continued his rich vein of form, reaching his half-century with a single through point off Anthony Martin’s bowling. It came in 101 minutes and 74 balls and was garnished with five fours. T&T went to the lunch interval on 99 for one, with Barath on 50 and Ganga 33.

Constant drizzles during the break prevented play from starting at 12.40 pm. Play eventually got started at 1.15 pm but after one over, rain sent the players scampering off the field with T&T 101 for one, with Barath on 52 and Ganga 33.

And star bowler for T&T on the second day, Imran Khan said that he is quite pleased with his performance with the ball.

Khan is playing his seventh Regional First-Class match for T&T, having played his last game against Barbados in 2006.

The soft-spoken Khan bagged five wickets for 33 runs, to guide his team to first innings points against the Leewards.

“ I am pretty happy with my bowling performance. I went into my spell very confident knowing fully well that I had the support of my captain and my colleagues.

I will continue to put my best foot forward in an effort to assist my team in winning the championship. The weather has been unkind to us but we cannot do anything about it. As a team, we will continue to remain focused on the task ahead, and whatever playing time that is available, use it to our fullest advantage,” Khan said.

The right-handed batsman who T&T’s leading run-getter in the local domestic competitions said that he was a little bit disappointed with his batting, but he intends to come good next time around.

SCOREBOARD

AT UWI GROUNDS
T&T v LEEWARDS

T&T 1st Inns 349
Leewards 1st Inns 221
T&T 2nd Inns (13-0)
J Guillen c Banks b Tonge*8
A Barath not out 52
D Ganga not out 33
Extras (2lb, 6w)*8
TOTAL (for 1 wkt-27 overs)*101
Wkts: 22.
Bowling: Garvin Tonge 6-0-17-1, Robert Joseph 6-1-42-0 (6w), Wilden Cornwall 4-2-10-0, Anthony Martin 7-1-22-0, Tonito Willett 4-0-8-0.

Day 4
February 16th 2009

T&T, Leewards in tame draw

T&T’s quest for top honours in the West Indies Cricket Board Four-day championship was blown away, when their rain-hit sixth round match against the Leeward Islands, ended in a predictable draw, on Monday, at the Sir Frank Worrell Grounds at the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.

Play on the final day started at 3 pm, after heavy overnight rain left the outfield in a soggy condition which delayed the start of the final day’s play. T&T declared at their bed-time position of 101 for one, which left the Leewards a victory target of 230 in a minimum of 37 overs.

And when play was called off after 38 overs overs, the Leewards were 36 without loss, with Kieran Powell on 16 not out, and Montcin Hodge unbeaten on 15.

Barath who scored a tremendous 192 in T&T’s first innings and a stroke-filled unbeaten 52 in the second innings was named ‘Man of the Match’ by former national selector and match adjudicator, Harry Lalla.

T&T collected six points from the encounter and the Leewards three. T&T remained in fourth position on 27 points, while the Leewards are in fifth place.

Borde said that he was pleased with the side’s performance and is confident that they will come out on top against Guyana this weekend.

“ With the limited time that we did play, we batted very positively. Off course, we are happy that Adrian Barath is among the runs, Ravi Rampaul bowled with pace and control and fitted in the regional set-up quite nicely,” Borde said.

He said that the fielding was outstanding with several magnificent catches being taken.

“ Our outfielding and catches were excellent. We achieved our target (350 runs) and set-up the game beautifully for an outright win, but unfortunately the rains came but that is life,” Borde added.

He said that Guyana is at the bottom of the seven-team standings and would want to get full points from them.