Spinners push Red Force toward 1st win

TT Red Force will be aiming for victory, on Sunday, after the spin pair of Bryan Charles and Akeal Hosein had their way against the Jamaica Scorpions in the West Indies Four-Day Championships, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, on Saturday.

Resuming on 94/3 in the first innings, Scorpions were dismissed for 278/9 which gave them a 182-run deficit on first innings. Left-arm spinner Hosein took 4/58 in 25 overs and off spinner Charles grabbed 3/67 in 17 overs. Top scoring for the Scorpions was Rovman Powell with 71.

In the second innings, Scorpions closed on 86/1, still trailing Red Force by 96 runs.

Powell, who is trying to get back into form after getting injured during the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League, played positively along with support from Paul Palmer when play resumed.

Fast bowler Odean Smith, who generated bounce on the wicket, broke the 90-run partnership when Palmer was caught in the slips by Charles for 50.

Powell and new batsman Aldane Thomas frustrated the Red Force bowlers for the remainder of the morning session, as Scorpions progressed to 200/4 at lunch.

On the resumption, Hosein got the prized wickets of Powell and Thomas in back-to-back overs, both falling leg before. Powell fell for 71 off 91 balls with eight fours and two sixes and Thomas was sent packing for 35.

Hosein could have gotten another wicket, but Charles dropped a catch at first slip. The only negative aspect of the Red Force game is the number of catches put down in the match.

Hosein could not stay out of the action as Dennis Bulli was caught by Keagan Simmons at silly mid on for five.

After being joined by Marquino Mindley, Derval Green decided to attack Hosein.

Green struck Hosein for six over long on, then a four over the mid-off fielder to get Scorpions past 250.

Red Force captain Darren Bravo changed his bowlers constantly with his bowlers bowling short spells.

Charles trapped Mindley for 11 leg before playing forward to a delivery as Scorpions sunk into further trouble.

It could have been two in two for Charles, but Hosein dropped a low catch at first slip to give new batsman Patrick Harty a life.

At the other end, Green continued to fight for his team bringing up his 50 with a straight six off Hosein. Scorpions went to tea on 277/8.

Immediately after tea a quick single almost led to a run out. The Red Force players felt Harty did not make his ground after a direct hit by Yannick Ottley fielding at square leg, but the umpire did not agree.

The innings folded shortly after when Green was bowled by Hosein for 56 to bring the innings to a close on 278/9, still trailing Red Force by 182 runs. Alwayne Williams could not bat because of an injury.

Red Force enforced the follow on and Scorpions took a similar approach to the one they took in the first innings – attacking the Red Force bowlers.

It worked for some time, but with the score on 41 skipper John Campbell was caught and bowled by Charles for 28.

Smith continued to test the Scorpions batsmen with bounce, but the pair of Assad Fudadin (32) and Jermaine Blackwood (17) took the visiting team to the close on 86/1. Charles has 1/28 in 11 overs in the second innings.

Sunday’s final day will start at 10 am.