Red Force in control on Day 1

TT Red Force continued to show their quality in the 2020 West Indies Four-Day Championships. On Thursday, behind a four-wicket haul from fast bowler Odean Smith, Red Force ended day one against Leeward Islands Hurricanes in a dominant position in the round two clash, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, in Tarouba.

After Jamaica Scorpions held Red Force to a draw in round one, at the same venue, Red Force included an extra bowler in the team with leg spinner Kissoondath Magram making his first class debut. However, it was Smith, who has been a member of the Red Force unit for the last couple of years, doing most of the damage to help dismiss Hurricanes for 186 when tea was taken.

Despite the loss of Jeremy Solozano for one, Red Force closed on 74/1 trailing Hurricanes by 112 runs.

The overcast morning conditions proved useful for the Red Force pacers as Smith and Terrance Hinds removed the top three batsmen to leave Hurricanes on 26/3.

Skipper Jahmar Hamilton and Keacy Carty steadied the ship with a partnership. After the pair put on 50, Carty was caught at first slip by Bryan Charles as left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein got the breakthrough.

Hosein and Magram bowled in tandem leading up to lunch, but could not do any further damage as Hurricanes went to lunch on 98/4.

On the resumption, Hamilton struck a wide delivery off Hinds to backward point for four and in the same over found the edge, but the ball passed between second slip and gully and ran down to the fence to give the captain his 50.

After a fairly tight period of play Red Force were rewarded as Hamilton chipped down the wicket and was bowled by Hosein for 55 to leave Hurricanes on 122/5.

Hurricanes sunk into further trouble as in the next over Amir Jangoo was bowled by Charles for 17.

Red Force skipper Bravo kept pressure on the Leewards batsmen when Charles and Hosein bowled as a number of fielders surrounded the bat.

Smith was lucky to get his third wicket as Damion Jacobs, chasing a wide delivery, found the edge to give wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva a simple catch.

Smith, a former West Indies Under-19 player, grabbed his fourth wicket when Jacques Taylor was caught by Solozano at gully with a delivery that generated some extra bounce.

Alzarri Joseph, who joined the Leewards after having a strong showing for West Indies against Ireland in the 50-over series that just concluded, opened his hand and struck Smith for three fours in one over as Leewards crossed 150.

Wickets continued to fall as Magram got his first wicket at this level when Quinton Boatswain was given leg before playing on his backfoot. Magram and his team-mates celebrated the special moment vigorously.

Joseph continued to succeed in spoiling Smith’s figures with two fours in an over.

Joseph brought Magram back down to earth with a six over long on as the tall fast bowler showed his potential with the bat. However, in the same over confusion between Joseph and Sheeno Berridge led to the run out of the latter for duck as the Hurricanes were dismissed for 186. Joseph played the ball on the off side and Bravo quickly retrieved the ball and threw the ball to Da Silva who dislodged the bails. Smith ended with 4/51 in 12 overs and Hosein took 2/32 in 15 overs.

Solozano, who scored 73 in round one against the Scorpions could not deliver on this occasion, falling for just one when he edged the ball to wicket-keeper Hamilton to give Berridge the wicket.

It was slow batting by Red Force when Bravo joined Keagan Simmons with the pair battling against the Hurricanes fast bowlers.

Bravo and Simmons started playing with more intent as the innings progressed and placed their team in a commanding position by the close with 74 on the board and still nine wickets in hand. Play will resume at 10 am, on Friday.

SCOREBOARD

TT Red Force vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes

Hurricanes 1st inns

M Hodge lbw Hinds 5

K Powell lbw Smith 6

D Thomas c Charles b Smith 0

K Carty c Charles b Hosein 27

J Hamilton b Hosein 55

A Jangoo b Charles 17

D Jacobs c Da Silva b Smith 4

J Taylor c Solozano b Smith 14

A Joseph not out 35

Q Boatswain lbw Magram 6

S Berridge run out 0

EXTRAS (B6, LB5, NB6) 17

Total all out 186

Fall of Wickets: 8, 10, 26, 77, 122, 122, 138, 144, 168, 186

BOWLING: Hinds 10-2-28-1, Smith 12-2-51-4, Bravo 3-0-11-0, Magram 10.4-3-36-1, Hosein 15-3-32-2, Charles 8-2-17-1

Red Force 1st inns

J Solozano c Hamilton b Berridge 1

K Simmons not out 32

D Bravo not out 36

Still to Bat: J Mohammed, J Da Silva+, Y Cariah, T Hinds, B Charles, O Smith, A Hosein, K Magram,

EXTRAS (B4, W1) 5

Total for one wicket 74

Fall of Wickets: 3

BOWLING: Joseph 8-2-13-0, Berridge 8-4-18-1, Boatswain 7-2-14-0, Jacobs 5-0-21-0, Taylor 2-1-1-0, Powell 1-0-3-0