Three players hit fifites, but rain spoils party in Super50 trials

TRINIDAD and Tobago Red Force hopefuls were robbed of the opportunity of a full day’s tune-up on October 8 when the two games in the TT Cricket Board’s National Senior 50-Overs Cup were rained out.

At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, three batsmen scored fifties for the Scarlet Blazers versus the Cocrico Warriors, but their team’s promising innings was cut short in the 44th over with the score on 271 for five. Opening batsman Mbeki Joseph (five) was dismissed early by former Windies pacer Shannon Gabriel, before Jeremy Solozano (76 off 81 balls) and Red Force skipper Joshua Da Silva (57 off 46) put on 100 runs in 15 overs before the latter retired hurt in the 19th over.

With Da Silva heading back to the pavilion, Vikash Mohan (51 off 50) also showed good form and put on 69 with Solozano before the latter was dismissed by Matthew Patrick, who grabbed figures of two for 42. Solozano hit seven fours and two sixes in his knock. Justin Jagessar (32 off 28) and Daniel Williams (21 not out off 24) both got starts before the rain prematurely brought an end to the Blazers’ innings and the game as a whole.

At the National Cricket Centre, Couva, no play was possible between the Soca Strikers and Steelpan Titans, who both registered wins on the opening day of the tourney on October 4. The final matches in the preliminary round of the four-team preparatory tourney will be played on October 15, when the Titans face the Warriors at NCC and the Blazers meet the Strikers at the BLCA. The tournament is being used as preparation for players vying to make the Red Force squad for the upcoming CG United Super50 tournament.

Summarised Scores:

SCARLET BLAZERS – 271/5 from 43.3 overs (Jeremy Solozano 76, Joshua Da Silva 57, Vikash Mohan 51, Justin Jagessar 32; Matthew Patrick 2/42) vs COCRICO WARRIORS.