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It was all Brian Lara at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday as Trinidad and Tobago, replying to Guyana’s 334 all out, reached 273-3 at the close of the second day’s play of their Carib Beer Series first round encounter.
Trinidad will enter today’s third day needing 61 more runs for first inning points with seven wickets in hand. Lara is unbeaten on 115 and Keiron Pollard not-out 41.
Coming to the wicket to a standing ovation from the small crowd following the demise of Lendl Simmons who was caught by Verasammy Permaul at midwicket off the bowling of Zaheer Mohammed, Lara rolled back the years with a scintillating batting display against the Guyanese.
He cut, drove and swept the Guyanese bowlers to all parts of the field with disdain. One such shot, a magnificent extra cover drive off the left arm orthodox bowler Permaul, sped away for four.
He reached his second successive regional hundred against Guyana from 175 minutes of batting hitting 11 fours from the 153 balls he faced.
It was his fourth century against Guyana, his 11th regional and 65th first class century.
Trinidad began their reply after lunch and saw Simmons and 17-year-old Adrian Barath, posting 64 for the first wicket.
Barath looked ominous during his sojourn at the wicket and played confidently while Simmons played the supporting role.
But, with the score on 64 and Sarwan bringing on Zaheer Mohammed from the Northern End, Simmons attempted to flick a ball through midwicket but picked out Permaul who had to dive forward but came up with the catch to the delight of his team-mates.
Simmons made 25 from 35 balls hitting two fours during his 79-minute sojourn at the wicket. Barath did not ease up even with the 38-year-old Lara coming to the crease.
He showed the `King of Trinidad’ that he was the `Prince in waiting’ ready to take over when Lara eventually decides to call it a day with some exquisite shots.
He was eventually caught and bowled by Mohammed after making 36 from 69 balls with six fours in 107 minutes.
Darren Bravo and Lara posted 96 for the third wicket before Bravo was snapped up by Fudadin at forward short leg for 32. He struck four fours from the 83 balls he faced during his 97 minutes of batting.
Lara, whose half century took 90 minutes accelerated after passing the milestone with some more exquisite drives off the slower bowlers as Trinidad inched their way towards Guyana’s total.
Pollard, who came in at the fall of Bravo’s wicket, struck Permaul over extra cover effortlessly for the first six of the match to bring up the 200 for the Trinidadians. It came off 51 overs and took 223 minutes of batting by the home team. Pollard followed up by striking Narsingh Deonarine for two sixes in succession and then drove him all along the ground through midwicket for four.
Earlier Guyana resuming on their overnight score of 267-4 were bowled out for 334, 17 minutes before the lunch break following the loss of two quick wickets including the prize scalp of captain Ramnaresh Sarwan 15 minutes into the day’s play.
Sarwan drove at the fifth delivery of the day from Richard Kelly, who bowled the first over with the second new ball, and was caught by Pollard at gully. His 63 lasted for 185 minutes and he struck eight fours from the 111 balls he faced.
Darwin Christian was unfortunately given out caught at the wicket by Gibran Mohammed without scoring off the fourth ball of the second over of the day bowled by Ravi Rampaul, as the Guyanese found themselves precariously placed on 268-6 within the first 15 minutes of play.
Assad Fudadin, unbeaten on four overnight, survived some testing moments against Rampaul and Kelly before he started executing some handsome drives including a brilliant front foot drive through extra cover off Kelly.
Esaun Crandon also joined the party, inflicting some telling blows. He pulled Rampaul through forward square for four and when Kelly pitched up one in the following over, dispatched that with disdain through extra cover for another boundary.
The visitors, 300 was posted in 403 minutes of batting and came off 101 overs before Crandon was caught by Dave Mohammed at point off Jaggernauth for 20.
He faced 61 balls and struck three fours during his 84 minutes sojourn at the wicket adding 54 runs for the seventh wicket with Fudadin.
Zaheer Mohammed (1) was caught by Kelly on the rebound at long on as he attempted to hit Jaggernauth down the ground in the next over while Fudadin was dropped by Barath at extra cover off Mohammed.
Fudadin’s 43 came from 106 balls and 147 minutes and he struck five fours. Jaggernauth ended with 4-84 and received strong support from Mohammed (3-59) and Kelly (2-57). Rampaul also took 1-76.
