Hosein spins Red Force to big win

TT Red Force continued their impressive start to the West Indies Championship after two matches with a mammoth win over Leeward Islands Hurricanes by an innings and 168 runs on Sunday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba. After Red Force responded to the Hurricanes' first innings score of 186 with an intimidating 552 for nine declared, the Leewards outfit didn't last long after an overnight score of 162 for seven. The visitors were skittled for 198 in the first session of the day's play.

After failing to press their advantage and bowl out Jamaica Scorpions at the same venue last week in an opening round draw, Darren Bravo's men showed great urgency in garnering the remaining three wickets needed with the game starting earlier.

With Leewards trailing by 204 runs, left-arm orthodox spinner Akeal Hosein continued to be the trump card for Red Force as he added two more scalps to end with figures of six for 62 to go with his two for 32 in the first innings demolition.

Resuming play, Hurricanes found resistance in the unlikeliest source with West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph (overnight on 14) trying to hold up Bravo's bowlers with a very calculated knock of 47 not out off 54 deliveries in just over an hour at the crease. He cracked three fours and four sixes to top score. Montcin Hodge (42), Kieran Powell (40) and Keacy Carty (35) all had starts on Saturday but failed to convert into a half-century.

Joseph's fightback delayed the inevitable as he found partners hard to come by in the tail as Damion Jacobs, overnight without scoring, could only add two to his tally before Hosein bamboozled him LBW with the score at 165. Quinton Boatswain entered and Joseph, recognising the demise of the innings, pushed hard to at least get his first First-Class fifty. However, with the score at 182, Boatswain was run out for one by Kissoondath Magram. Joseph and last man Sheeno Berridge would hold up celebrations with a 16-run partnership as Joseph eventually accumulated his career-best knock at this level. Hosein would ruin Joseph's plans for a half-century, removing Berridge without scoring, caught by Bryan Charles, to wrap a comprehensive victory.

Magram ended with two for 56 to complete a relatively decent integration into the team as the unbeaten Red Force claimed full points prior to Thursday's away match against Guyana Jaguars.

Skipper Bravo should be very confident with this performance as he was hoping his bowlers would come to the fore. Man-of-the-match Hosein has picked up 15 wickets so far in the tournament but the Red Force's strength is undoubtedly in their batting having just batted twice so far in the competition, making 460 for four declared against Jamaica. Bravo's amongst the runs again having made a century here on the heels of a fifty against Jamaica, while Terrance Hinds also cracked a blistering hundred, his maiden First Class century off just 76 balls. With Joshua Da Silva getting another half-century, along with Hosein's heroics, Queen's Park Cricket Club spine is proving to be the spine of a hopefully-successful season for the Red Force.