Bravo drops Super50 Cup

AFTER HIS team seemed set for a spot in Sunday’s final, TT Red Force star player Darren Bravo dropped Leeward Islands Hurricanes’ big-hitting batsman and captain Jahmar Hamilton, and in the process, the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup on Friday night at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair.

Set 268 to win by Red Force, the Hurricanes were evenly positioned on 202 for five when Hamilton, then on 33, skied Akeal Hosein to Bravo at long-on, only for the West Indies international to drop an elementary catch. Hamilton would make the hosts pay, hammering 78 off 34 to take his team to 269 for six and into the title-decider against West Indies Emerging Players at the same venue on Sunday from 1.30 pm.

The Hurricanes wobbled early on with opener Montcin Hodge (15) edging Anderson Phillip behind to Steven Katwaroo. Amir Jangoo (14) followed, out to Jon-Russ Jaggesar (two for 49) to leave the visitors on 75 for two.

Veteran Kieran Powell advanced the score with a 50-ball knock of 48 (five fours, one six) but departed at 93, nicking Hosein behind as well. Devon Thomas (28) was the next to go with the score at 134, bowled by captain Imran Khan (two for 70). Khan then claimed Akeem Saunders for 11 at 165 only for Man-of-the-Match Hamilton to turn the fireworks on.

He smashed three fours and eight mammoth sixes, including a couple out the ground, as Kacey Carty chipped in with 53 off 69 (four fours, one six). The turning point in their partnership came in the 41st over when the pair took 26 off Khan’s final over to leave Red Force stunned. Bravo’s error confirmed this wouldn’t be the hosts’ night and even when he made amends to catch Carty off Jaggesar, momentum was in the Hurricanes’ favour.

The Hurricanes were at 219 at this point but Hamilton didn’t spare the rod, capitalising on pacer Anderson Phillip going off with an injury, as he took sixes off Hosein and Jason Mohammed as well. He sealed the deal in the final over off Mohammed with Terrance Warde ending retired hurt on 12; Jason Campbell was the unbeaten batsman on nought.

Sent in to bat, the hosts didn’t anticipate the shock to come, thinking they set a fairly respectable total. The Hurricanes met fierce opposition from opener, Tion Webster, as the Queen’s Park batsman cracked his second fifty of the competition with 91 off 121 balls via seven fours and four sixes to lead the charge for the 11-time champs.

He opened with Jeremy Solozano (30 off 50 balls) and they put on a brisk 60 in the first 10 overs. The Parkites pair eventually crafted a 99-run partnership before Solozano placed Jason Campbell into the hands of Warde. Keagan Simmons entered the wicket but was run out for 14 with the score at 133. Webster departed at 150, carelessly slogging Sheeno Berridge into the hands of Jangoo at deep square.

Bravo (34) entered the wicket with Mohammed (59) and they put on 59 before Berridge nabbed the former. His 32-ball knock included two fours and a six. Quinton Boatswain (two for 59) bowled Yannick Ottley (two) before Hosein (four) lost his stumps to Berridge as well at 229. Mohammed found partners hard to come by and exited on 251, skying Boatswain to Carty to end his 55-ball innings which boasted six fours and a maximum. Berridge would wrap things up with Khan’s wicket for two to end with figures of four for 58. Phillip finished not out with a blistering three-ball cameo of 14 from three (two fours and a six), accompanied by Katwaroo on three, setting the stage for yet another semi-final loss for the home team.

Summarised Scores –

At Queen’s Park Oval: TT RED FORCE 268/8 (50 overs) - Tion Webster 91, Jason Mohammed 59; Sheeno Berridge 4/58 vs LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES 269/6 (49.3 overs) - Jahmar Hamilton 78 not out, Kacey Carty 53; Jon-Russ Jaggesar 2/49. Leeward Islands Hurricanes won by four wickets.