Kjorn Ottley hits 112 as Red Force beat Barbados Pride

THE Trinidad and Tobago Red Force batsmen have done little wrong in the CG United Super50 tournament. Their form continued against Barbados Pride at the Queen's Park Oval on November 16, led by an unbeaten century from Kjorn Ottley.

Ottley struck 112 not out to steer Red Force to their target of 259/1 in 43.3 overs to win by nine wickets.

Speaking to TT Cricket Board media and Newsday after the match, Ottley said, "I think it is always good to get a century, especially playing for your country. Getting it was important, but actually taking my team over the line I think was (more) important."

The match bowled off at 10.30 am, instead of the scheduled 9 am start because of a wet outfield and as a result, the match was a shortened 45-over contest.

Ottley and Tion Webster, who has also been among the runs in the tournament, put on 86 for the first wicket inside 14 overs.

Webster would have been eyeing his fifty, but Kemar Smith removed him for 41 off 33 balls.

The Pride would have been hoping to get a couple more quick wickets, but Ottley found another able partner in Amir Jangoo.

Jangoo, playing a stone's throw away from where he grew up in St James, looked at home.

The left-handed pair of Ottley and Jangoo put on an unbroken partnership of 173 runs to guide Red Force to victory with nine deliveries to spare.

Ottley's 112 came off 132 balls and included 11 fours and two sixes. Jangoo, who cracked his maiden List A century earlier in the tournament, ended on 93 not out off 96 balls with four fours and two sixes.

On batting with Jangoo, Ottley said, "Amir has been having a fantastic tournament. I enjoy batting with him all the time."

Ottley started the tournament with a knock of 45, but then had low scores of 14 and one. Jangoo and Webster picked up the slack early on in the tournament.

Ottley said they are happy for each other's success. "I was always happy for my teammates. I think that is where the energy comes from (in the team). Everybody is happy for everyone when they do well."

Earlier in the match, Pride also got a second-wicket partnership that put them in a commanding position. After Zachary McCaskie was run out by Webster for duck, Leniko Boucher and Raymon Reifer put on 136 runs for the second wicket. Pride reached 138 in the 25th over when off-spinner Mark Deyal got the breakthrough as he dismissed Boucher for 81 off 72 deliveries (ten fours, one six). Deyal and leg-spinner Yannic Cariah combined to grab seven wickets in the innings as Pride closed on 258/9 in 45 overs. Reifer struck 70 off 94 balls with three fours and one six.

Red Force will now prepare for the semifinals, which will be played on November 20 and 21 at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba. The fixtures will be confirmed after the preliminary phase ends on November 17.

Summarised scores:

BARBADOS PRIDE 258/9 (45 overs) (Leniko Boucher 81, Raymon Reifer 70, Kevin Wickham 30; Yannic Cariah 4/53, Mark Deyal 3/32) vs TT RED FORCE 259/1 (43.3 overs) (Kjorn Ottley 112 not out, Amir Jangoo 93 not out, Tion Webster 41). Red Force won by nine wickets.