Rain forces abandonment of Red Force warm-up games

RAINS FORCED the abandonment of a pair of TT Red Force warm-up matches at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba on Monday.

The Red Force, under the guidance of recently-appointed coach David Furlonge, are preparing for the 2021 Regional Super50 Cup, which will take place in Antigua from February 4-27.

On Monday, the Denesh Ramdin XI and the Imran Khan XI met for their third scheduled 50-overs trial match. Both squads entered the game with a 1-1 record, after the first two meetings.

However, the Khan XI, who batted first after winning the toss, were struggling at 55 runs for three wickets before a mid-morning shower forced that game to be called off. Steven Katwaroo (20) and Yannic Cariah (14) were at the crease when the rains came, after the early losses of Jeremy Solozano (16), Evin Lewis (one) and Kirstan Kallicharan (three).

A T20 affair was agreed upon between the squads, starting at 2 pm, but the weather also resulted in that game being abandoned.

The Ramdin XI, who won the toss and decided to bat first, posted 204/4 with Tion Webster lashing 87 (50 balls, six fours and five sixes) and Lendl Simmons 65 (41 balls, five fours and four sixes). Webster and Simmons featured in an opening partnership of 116 in 11.4 overs.

Captain Ramdin was also among the runs, with 36 (20 balls, three fours and a six). Pace bowler Uthman Muhammed claimed two wickets for 42 runs for the Khan XI.

In response, the Khan XI reached 25/2 in 4.1 overs, with opener Kjorn Ottley unbeaten on 17, when another downpour ended proceedings.

The players will have a Christmas break, and they will return to the Tarouba venue for another scheduled 50-overs practice match on December 28.