Khary Pierre (7/40) spins Red Force to huge win over CCC

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force got their West Indies Regional Four-day Championship season off to a rollicking start as they completed an emphatic innings and 75-run win against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba on the final day's play on February 1.

After Jason Mohammed (176) and Jyd Goolie (121) powered the Red Force to 504 for six in their first innings, the bowlers went to work as CCC were bowled out for just 222 in their first innings.

Starting day four on the overnight score of 90 for one, CCC needed 192 more runs to make the Red Force bat for a second time. The CCC batsmen couldn't make a note on the final day, though, as a mesmerising performance from left-arm spinner Khary Pierre (seven for 40) saw the visitors adding just 117 to the overnight total before the final wicket fell at 3.45 pm in the day/night affair.

Overnight batsmen Avinash Mahabirsingh (14) and top-scorer Damel Evelyn (57) both fell to Pierre as CCC slipped to 116 for three. Sadique Henry (15) and Trinbago Knight Riders batsman Shaqkere Parris (50) then showed some fight with a 52-run stand for the fourth wicket, before the former was dismissed by Yannic Cariah (one for 61) as CCC slipped to 168 for four.

The wily Pierre then took wickets off successive balls to bring up his five-wicket ball as he bowled Pierre and Demario Richards to leave CCC reeling on 192 for six.

Pierre add two more wickets to his haul as he returned career-best figures, with Goolie (two for six) even joining the act with the scalps of Kyle Corbin (14) and last-man Ojay Shields (duck) as Red Force bowled out CCC for just 207 in the second innings to complete the big win.

Elsewhere, in Arnos Vale, Kingstown, St Vincent, Jamaica Scorpions got a convincing 178-run win versus the Windward Islands Volcanoes. Set a daunting 419 to win, Windwards crashed to 241 all out on the final day, with 18-year-old leg-spinner Tamarie Redwood ripping through the Volcanoes with figures of seven for 72.

Windwards will hope to rebound swiftly when they entertain the Red Force in round two from February 5 in Arnos Vale.

Summarised Scores:

TT RED FORCE – 504/6 declared (Jason Mohammed 176, Jyd Goolie 121, Cephas Cooper 80; Abhijai Mansingh 2/116, Avinash Mahabirsingh 2/142) vs CCC – 222 (Johann Jeremiah 60, A Mansingh 27; Yannic Cariah 3/26, Joshua James 2/24) & 207 (Damel Evelyn 57, Shaqkere Parris 50, J Jeremiah 29; Khary Pierre 7/40, J Goolie 2/6). Red Force won by an innings and 75 runs.

JAMAICA – 337 (Jermaine Blackwood 109, John Campbell 79, Daniel Beckford 39; Darel Cyrus 2/26, Gilon Tyson 2/66) & 277/7 declared (J Blackwood 75, D Beckford 50 not out, Kirk McKenzie 46; Kenneth Dember 5/95, Shadrack Descarte 2/36) vs WINDWARDS ISLANDS VOLCANOES – 195 (Ryan John 41, S Descarte 34, Stephan Pascal 30; J Blackwood 3/27, Odean Smith 3/55) & 241 (Sunil Ambris 56, S Descarte 47, S Pascal 32; Tamarie Redwood 7/72, Jeavor Royal 2/81). Scorpions won by 178 runs.