T&T CRICKET BOARD REGIONAL U-17 SERIES
December 12th 2008

Impressive T&T starts with a win

Barbados led by half-centuries from impressive batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Roston Chase, defeated Guyana by 28 runs in the opening round of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Regional Under-17 Series,at Gilbert Park in California, here on Thursday.

Barbados who is the reigning TCL Group West Indies Cricket Challenge three-day league champions won the toss and tallied a competitive 198 all out in 49.5 overs.

Brathwaite top-scored with a workmamlike 79 scored off 125 balls and included two fours. He received admirable support from Chase who scored an even 50 off 74 deliveries with four fours and a six.

Leading bowler for Guyana was left-arm spinner Jamally Odle who bagged four for 37 from 7.5 overs.

Lending good support to Odle was fast bowler Seon Daniels who captured two for 39 from his allottment of 10 overs.

In response, Guyana made a spirited effort to get to their victory target but was undermined by Barbados skipper and fast bowler Jason Holder who picked up three for 42 from his 10 overs. Leading scorers for Guyana were Dyanand Roopnarine and Clinton Pestano both of whom contributed 30 in their team’s total of 171 all out in 47.4 overs.

For his tremendous bowling feat, Holder was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’.

And T&T cricketers started their quest for top honours with an authoritative 115-run win against the Windward Islands at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

Leading the victory charge for the home team in the 50-over contest was the impressive right-arm fast bowler, Teshawn Castro, who bagged four wickets for 11 runs from five overs, as the Windwards chasing a victory target of 179 were routed for a paltry 63 in 22.2 overs.

Also among the wickets were left-arm medium pacer Darron Beekha (3-16) and right-arm leg-spinner Yannic Cariah (2-12).

Earlier, T&T won the toss and opted for first strike and were dismissed for a challenging 178 in 48.1 overs.

T&T Under-19 batsmen Evin Lewis (37) and Cariah (32) were the principal scorers, while Josh Thomas was the top wickettaker for the Windwards with three for 39.

For his match-winning spell of fast bowling, Castro was named as ‘Player of the Match.”

The contest between Jamaica and the Leeward Islands was reduced to 43 overs per-side because of a change of venue.

The match was shifted to the Invaders Ground in Felicity because the original venue — Inshan Ali Park in Preysal was not fully prepared for the encounter.

According to the Administrative Manager of the T&T Cricket Board, Rambhai Patel, all matches carded for Inshan Ali Park will be now played at the Invaders Ground.

The Leewards had earlier won the toss and were dismissed for a measly 107 in 38 overs. Darren Benta topscored with a hard-fought 27 off 40 balls with one four and a six.

Top bowler for Jamaica was right-arm medium-pacer Nicholson Gordon with three for 12, while there were two wickets apiece for Jermaine Blackwood (2-24) and Donovan Nelson 2-28).

The Jamaicans in reply, brisk-cantered to victory in 27.5 overs, with John Campbell hitting an unbeaten 40 off 82 deliveries with two fours. Campbell earned the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

In Friday’s Round Two matches, T&T and Jamaica will clash at Syne Village in Penal, Guyana and Windwads will battle at Wilson Road in Penal, while Barbados and the Leewards will square-off at Honeymoon Park in Tacarigua.

Round One — Summarised scores

AT INVADERS: Leeward Islands 107 all out (38 overs) (Darren Benta 27, Shurnell Burns 17, Nicholson Gordon 3-12, Jermaine Blackwood 2-24, Donovan Nelson 2-28) v Jamaica 108-2 (27.5 overs) (John Campbell 40 not out, Krishna Graham 17 not out). Jamaica won by 8 wkts. John Campbell (Player of the Match).

AT GILBERT PARK: Barbados 198 all out (49.5 overs) (Kraigg Brathwaite 79, Roston Chase 50, Jamally Odle 4-37, Seon Daniels 2-39) v Guyana 171 all out (47.4 overs) (Dyanand Roopnarine 30, Clinton Pestano 30, Dexter Solomon 23, Jason Holder 3-42). Barbados won by 28 runs. Jason Holder (Player of the Match).

AT QUEEN’S PARK OVAL: Trinidad and Tobago 178 all out (48.1 overs) (Evin Lewis 37, Yannic Cariah 32, Sachin Boodram 25, Josh Thomas 3-39, Kaveem Hodge 2-19, Durani Charles 2-38) v Windward Islands 63 all out (22.2 overs) (Rudolph Paul 32, Teshawn Castro 4-11, Darron Beekha 3-16, Yannic Cariah 2-12). T&T won by 115 runs. T. Castro (Player of the Match).