TCL Group Regional Under-19 Cricket Challenge
Round 4 Day 3
July 23, 2009

T&T on Top

Title-chasing T&T surged back into the top of the standings in the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge, when they registered an emphatic innings and six-run win against the Leeward Islands in the penultimate round of the competition, here on Thursday, at Chedwin Park in Spanish Town.

T&T, who surrendered the lead for just one day to Jamaica, after the hosts defeated the Windward Islands in two days on Wednesday, at Jamaica Broilers, now head the six-team standings with 42 points, six ahead of Jamaica on 36 and defending champions, Barbados on 31.

T&T will only have to obtain first innings lead in a drawn encounter against Guyana to lift the title.

T&T are seeking their third championship title since the inception of the TCL three-day league competition in 2003.

The remaining contenders, Jamaica and Barbados will battle at Kensington, while the other teams, Leewards and the Windward Islands are virtually out of the running. The Leewards’ batsmen had no answer to the potent spin and pace attack employed by skipper Yannick Ottley and surrendered just before the tea.

Top batsmen for the inconsistent Leewards’ team were skipper Kejel Tyson with 42 and Kelbert Walters and Nelson Bolan both of whom struck 23.

Leading bowlers for T&T were left-arm spinner Javid Boodram with three for 17, and right-arm leg-spinner Kissoondath Magram who bagged three for 56 to end with a match-haul eight for 99.

Significantly important also for T&T, was that Yannic Cariah captured the ‘Player of the Match’ award for the third time in four matches.

Earlier, the Leewards in arrears by 149 runs, resumed on 24 for one, still needing a further 125 runs to avoid an in innings defeat.

However, they were soon in trouble when the lost the wicket of overnight batsman Yannick Leonard (4) who was brilliantly caught by Sachin Boodram on the deep fine leg-boundary off Teshawn Castro’s with the score on 29.

Wickets soon fell at regular intervals and the Leewards were reduced to 90 for six at the lunch break.

On the resumption, it took T&T just under one hour to complete the demolition work as the Leewards’ innings folded without any further resistance.

Manager of the T&T team, William Wallace praised the overall commitment of the side and told the Trinidad Guardian that each member played a critical role in the team’s outstanding victory.

“ It was entirely a team effort. Every one knew what was the plan going into the final day’s play and how important it was for us to win. Praise must also be showered on skipper Yannick Ottley for his exceptional leadership qualities. He one to note for the future,” Wallace stated.

Today is a rest day in the tournament and T&T will play Guyana in the final round of the three-day championship, starting tomorrow at Elleston Road in Kingston.

SCOREBOARD

At Chedwin Park
Trinidad and Tobago v Leeward Islands
Leewards 1st Inns 174
T&T 1st Inns 323-8 dec.
Leewards 2nd Inns (o-n 24-1)
T Mills lbw Castro*10
A Fox c Lewis b Magram*19
Y Leonard c Sachin Boodram b Castro*4
K Tyson lbw Magram*43
A Saunders lbw Javed Boodram*2
J Hamilton c Alexis b Cariah*1
S Burton b Javed Boodram*6
H Walsh lbw Ottley*6
N Bolan b Magram*23
K Walters c Cariah b Javid Boodram*23
T Osbourne not out*0
Extras (1nb, 3b, 2lb)*6
TOTAL ( all out 53-3 overs)*143
Wkts: 18, 29, 50, 64, 65, 78, 95, 995,135, 143.
Bowling: Teshawn Castro 8-1-19-2, Akiel Cooper 2-0-10-0, Kissoondath Magram 20-3-56-3, Yannic Cariah 11-3-23-1, Javed Boodram 6.3-0-17-3, Yannic Ottley 6-0-13-1.
Result: T&T won by an inns & 6-run.
Points: T&T 12, Leewards 0
Player of the Match Yannic Cariah.