Red Force suffer 1st loss of Super50 campaign

LED by Justin Greaves and Keon Harding, West Indies Emerging Players handed the TT Red Force their first defeat of the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair, last night.

After convincing back-to-back wins to start the tournament a below par batting performance by Red Force gave West Indies Emerging Players a ten-run victory.

West Indies posted a competitive 243 all out in exactly 50 overs and in reply, the Red Force top order failed to deliver for the first time as the home team responded with 233/9.

Greaves top scored with 80 to help West Indies Emerging Players post  the solid total.

Greaves held the innings together as a number of batsmen got starts but failed to push on.

Kimani Melius (39), Joshua Da Silva (34) and captain Yannic Cariah (34) all made decent contributions, but were all out in the thirties.

After opener Gidron Pope was bowled by spinner Jon Russ Jagessar for duck, a 20-minute rain delay stopped the West Indies progress on 30/1 in the 10th over.

Melius and Da Silva had to settle for ones and twos after the resumption with medium pacer Tion Webster and spinner Yannick Ottley operating.

After the pair got West Indies to 50 in the 15th over the scoreboard started to tick over quickly, as Da Silva swept Ottley for two overs in an over.

The duo clearly had a plan to increase the scoring as Melius lashed leg spinner Imran Khan for four to mid-wicket.

Da Silva was the next batsman dismissed as he was caught at long off to give Khan the wicket.

Melius joined Da Silva in the pavilion shortly after when he was trapped leg before as Khan was at it again.

West Indies slowly progressed to 100/3 after 25 overs with new batsmen Cariah and Greaves at the crease.

Greaves, who got solid support from his captain, grew in confidence as he approached his 50. The tall right-hander struck Phillip for four through point and in the same over got his pants dirty as he kneeled on the ground and hit another four.

After watching Greaves get his half century, Cariah was caught at deep mid-wicket by Darren Bravo to give spinner Jason Mohammed the scalp. West Indies were 175/4 in the 41st over and the innings needed some impetus.

Roland Cato put his hand up as he struck Mohammed for a straight six that landed on the roof of the Gerry Gomez Media Centre and in the same over lashed a flat six over long off.

Cato’s cameo came to an end when he mistimed a delivery from Jagessar and was caught by Phillip at short third man for 18 off 19 balls.

Greaves was still there, but with overs running out he fell for 80 when he was caught at fine leg attempting a pull to give Odean Smith the wicket. Greaves faced 88 balls and counted seven fours and one six.

Wickets fell regularly for the remainder of the innings, but a few boundaries helped the West Indies to 243 all out in exactly 50 overs. Jagessar ended as the best bowler grabbing 3/33 in ten overs, Phillp took 2/39 in six, Khan helped himself to 2/43 in ten and Smith snatched 2/40 in six.

Red Force got off to a shaky start as Webster (duck) and Jeremy Solozano (17) were dismissed as the home team slumped to 24/2 in the ninth over.

Bravo, who scored 115 not out in the Red Force first match, joined forces with Kyle Hope and the pair steered the team out of trouble.

However, a moment of magic from Kimani Melius swung the match in the West Indies favour. Melius, fielding at point, held on to a spectacular one handed diving catch to send Hope packing for 34 to give Keon Harding the wicket.

In the next over, Kevin Sinclair trapped Mohammed leg before for duck as Red Force were now four down with less than 100 on the board.

With the required run rate now above seven Ottley and Bravo started to take the attack to West Indies. In the 33^rd over, Ottley hit fast bowler Dominic Drakes for six over mid-wicket and later in the over Bravo struck a four to fine leg.

Immediately after getting to 50, Bravo was caught at deep mid-wicket to leave Red Force on 132/5 in the 35^thover.

Odean Smith’s stay at the crease was brief as he was caught at short fine leg for two, before Imran Khan was run out cheaply.

Ottley continued to battle, but the mountain was too high as the Red Force closed on 233/9 in 50 overs. Ottley was eventually run out for 71 off 80 deliveries.

Harding ended as the top bowler for West Indies with 4/59 in ten overs.

SUMMARISED SCORES

West Indies Emerging Players 243 (50 overs) (Justin Greaves 80, Kimani Melius 39, Joshua Da Silva 34, Yannic Cariah 34; Jon Russ Jagessar 3/33, Anderson Phillip 2/39, Imran Khan 2/43, Odean Smith 2/40) vs TT Red Force 233/9 (50 overs) (Yannick Ottley 71, Darren Bravo 50, Kyle Hope 34; Keon Harding 4/59, Ashmead Nedd 2/26) West Indies Emerging Players won by ten runs