Red Force captain Da Silva wants ruthless effort in Super50 Cup

TT RED Force (25 points) slipped to third place in the CG United Super50 Cup standings after Leeward Islands Hurricanes (26 points) snapped their two-match win streak at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on November 3.

Despite TT posting this year’s tournament-high total of 291/6 courtesy powerful knocks from Amir Jangoo (96) and Jason Mohammed (79 not out), batting first, Hurricanes stormed back to top their effort with a victorious 292/3, steered by Justin Greaves’ record-breaking knock of 151 not out.

Greaves’ stellar display with the bat saw him become the first player to score three consecutive centuries in the Super50 Cup. Jangoo’s knock was his highest List A score.

The loss for Red Force, however, ended their perfect start to the tournament, having defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) and Windward Islands Volcanoes.

TT skipper Joshua Da Silva believes his team could have defended the total they put up, but confirmed it was still shy of their intended target.

“I thought it was a total we could have fought with. I don’t think it was enough, but with our calibre of bowlers I thought we had a chance to pull it back especially there in the middle overs,” Da Silva said.

“They (Leewards) were just a bit better than us with the bat and running between the wickets, so it showed in the end.”

Da Silva rued his team’s missed chances when Leewards batted, saying these slip-ups cost them the game. He would have preferred to bowl first but after losing the toss and being sent in to bat, Da Silva said the squad was still “ready for anything.”

Greaves’ knock of 151 not out came from 129 balls and included 13 fours. Fellow opener Mikyle Louis also scored 57, Chesney Hughes made 33 and Jahmar Hamilton was 25 not out.

Asked if he would make any bowling adjustments for the upcoming match against West Indies Academy on November 7, Da Silva said, “There’s not too much more to do. A couple chances we let go by. I myself have to put my hand up because of a silly mistake.

“But that’s cricket. At the end of the day somebody has to win and somebody has to lose. We go back and come back to fight again the next day.”

He said the pitch was “really good” and credited Jangoo, Mohammed and Tion Webster (60) and Jyd Goolie (20) for strong partnerships in the middle after opener Kjorn Ottley was dismissed just eight balls in.

On Jangoo’s highest List A score, the TT skipper said, “Very good. We’ve seen the quality he has in the four-day and for him to come now and just transform into the 50-over format is really good to see.”

After matches on November 3, Barbados Royals (31 points) remain unbeaten atop the standings, followed by Hurricanes and Red Force respectively. Guyana Harpy Eagles (14 points) are fourth, Jamaica Scorpions (ten points) fifth, Windward Islands Volcanoes (nine points) sixth, CCC (eight points) seventh and West Indies Academy (five points) in cellar position.

However in the latest match, Windies Academy defeated CCC by 23 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method on November 4 which would have moved them up the standings.