– USA’s Wright named Man of the Match
Half centuries from opener Adrian Barath and Daren Ganga led Trinidad and Tobago to a six wicket victory over the United States of America (USA) team in a match of the West Indies Cricket Board President’s Cup competition at the Enmore Community Development Centre ground yesterday.
Batting first the USA team scored 186-7 off their allotted 50 overs with Trinidad and Tobago in reply cruising to 187-4 in 38 overs.
The USA team, sent in by Trinidad, struggled on a flat wicket.
Only Man of the Match, Carl Wright, with a splendid 89 managed to make any substantial score for the Americans.
The Orlando Baker-led USA team was in immediate trouble losing opener Gowkaran Roopnarine to pacer Rayad Emrit for nought in the second over with the score on 4-1.
Baker was joined by Wright but after stroking a majestic boundary Baker was caught by Amit Jaggernauth off the bowling of Samuel Badree for 13.
Wright, though, found a useful ally in Aditya Thyarajan and together they added a team high 67 runs for the third wicket taking the score from 33-2 to 100-2 before Richard Kelly got the break through by removing Thyarajan for 16.
Three runs later Kelly struck again bowling, Evans for one and he also bowled Barrington Bartley for four as the USA slumped to 114-5.
Wright and wicketkeeper Akeen Dodson then took the score to 145 before Wright, who had earlier hit a six and four to move to 89, was outfoxed by the wily Badree and bowled.
His innings was studded with three sixes and six fours and lasted 128 deliveries.
Gregory Sewdial, playing his first match of the season, was seventh out for a duck caught by Kelly off the bowling of Rayad Emrit.
This was the last success for Trinidad as Dodson and Timray Allen took the score to 186-7.
Dodson was unbeaten on 32 with two fours off 47 balls and Allen on 14.
Kelly took 3-34, Badree 2-23 and Emrit 2-40.
Trinidad lost the in-form Lendl Simmons, who scored a century in the first game for 11. He was caught by wicket-keeper Dodson off the bowling of Robert Cresser with the score on 15.
The celebration by the USA team was shortlived as Barath and skipper Daren Ganga buckled down to business.
The two players matched shot for shot in a second wicket partnership of 139 runs before Barath fell for 67.
He was deceived by a slower ball from Thyarajan and was caught by Imran Awan at mid on after striking one six and four fours from 79 balls. Darren Bravo fell cheaply to an extravagant shot and the skipper himself was dismissed with victory in sight caught by Sewdial off Thyagarajan.
His 79 included five fours from 96 balls.
But Sherwin Ganga and Kelly took Trinidad past the winning total in the 38th over in the process securing one bonus point.
Thyarajan 3-29 was the most successful bowler.
