KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Trinidad & Tobago were frustrated by Guyana, as their title hopes disappeared following a draw on the final day of their fifth round, TCL Group West Indies Three-day Cup Under-19 encounter yesterday.
Starting this series on top the standings with 42 points, T&T produced their worst showing of the tournament and were forced to battle to avoid defeat before the match was called off at Elletson Road. Set a victory target of 327 runs in a minimum of 49 overs, T&T were tottering at 83 for five at one stage before limping to 149 for six thanks to a solid half-century from Cariah who was unbeaten on 59 with nine fours off 97 balls.
Earlier Guyana, resuming from their overnight 151 for four, were dismissed for 269.
Trinidad and Tobago picked up three points from the drawn encounter to end with 45 points, three shy of Jamaica who closed the series with 48 points, after they defeated dethroned champions Barbados at Kensington.
T&T’s hopes of winning the game were always in doubt when Guyana batted on strongly in the first session, to reach 255 for eight at the lunch break.
Jeetendra Sookdeo, unbeaten on 14 overnight, and Seon Hetymyer added 29 for the fifth wicket before Sookdeo was caught at point by Akiel Cooper off Javid Boodram for 35.
He innings lasted 97 minutes, required 68 balls and contained three fours and a six.
Hetymyer (34) stuck around for a while before he became the seventh Guyanese victim, caught by Yannick Ottley off Yannic Cariah with the total on 248, after batting 102 minutes, facing 102 balls and counting three fours.
Guyana lost their eighth wicket on the stroke of lunch when Totaram Bishun (21) was bowled by Cariah and the innings eventually folded soon after the interval.
Boodram was the leading bowler for T&T with four for 47, while Cariah chipped in with three for 46.
In pursuit of their victory target, T&T started poorly as fast bowler Ronsford Beaton sliced through the top order to finish with four for 35.
They lost two wickets in the opening over sent down by Beaton as Aaron Alfred (1) and Evin Lewis (0) fell cheaply to leave the score on one run for two wickets.
Nicholas Alexis (6) and Teshawn Castro (21) steadied the innings but were soon prized out by the hostility of Beaton, sending T&T to the tea break tottering on 53 for four.
