BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – A breathtaking half-century from stylish stroke-maker Darren Bravo lit up Kensington Oval here on Friday night, silencing Barbados and powering Trinidad and Tobago into the semi-finals of the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship.
The 21-year-old stroked an ultra-classy 70 from 35 balls as T&T carved out a 51-run victory over the hosts before a packed Oval crowd, to set up a meeting with powerhouses Jamaica in today’s second semi-final.
Choosing to bat first, T&T raced to 166 for seven with dashing opener Lendl Simmons slamming 53 from 45 balls, while off-spinner Ashley Nurse claimed five for 26 to haul in scoring at the death.
Barbados started briskly with Dwayne Smith hammering 27 off 14 balls in a 42-run stand off 24 balls for the first wicket with debutant Rashidi Boucher who got 19 from 15 balls.
Once Smith was bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree (2-21) with the last ball of the fourth over, Barbados failed to mount a serious challenge and lost wickets steadily to end on a disappointing 115 for nine. However, the night belonged to Bravo, already being hailed as the successor to the legendary Brian Lara, if only in style. The elegant left-hander brought the arena to life with one scintillating stroke after another, with each of his four fours and five sixes seemingly more memorable than the other.Entering the fray after Adrian Barath (23) slashed pacer Javon Searles to Nurse at point at 40 for one in the eighth over, Bravo combined with the also rampant Simmons to add a frenetic 80 from 47 balls for the second wicket. He got off the mark with a boundary through point and restated his intent when he welcomed West Indies pacer Kemar Roach into the attack with a loft for another four over cover. The floodgates then opened as Bravo grabbed Barbados’ bowling by the scruff of its neck, stamping his authority on the game with a dominant innings.
He was particularly severe on fiery pacer Tino Best who he struck for two spectacular straight sixes in one over, as Barbados’ attack wilted.
Not to be left out, Simmons counted three fours and four sixes, including two thunderous blows off left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds. When he was bowled by Nurse backing away to cut in the 16th over, Bravo continued to score freely before holing out to long-off off the first ball of the final over by Nurse.
T&T failed to find the acceleration needed, however, as four wickets tumbled for three runs.
Barbados were out of the blocks just as quickly as T&T were, with Smith firing on all cylinders and Boucher playing a great supporting role. The right-handed Smith struck three fours and a straight six off off-spinner Sherwin Ganga but was out timidly, bowled after missing one that skidded through.
Boucher, who struck two fours and an effortless six over long-on off pacer Ravi Rampaul, was stumped reaching at a leg-break from Sunil Narine (3-22), leaving Barbados to start over with two new batsmen at the wicket.
Runs dried up as captain Hinds struggled for 15 from 17 balls before he was bowled by medium pacer Kevin Cooper (2-11) and the death knell sounded for Barbados when Jonathan Carter was bowled first ball to leave the hosts tottering on 75 for four in the 11th over.There was to be no recovery as T&T’s bowlers strangled Barbados’ batsmen, forcing a timid end to an otherwise absorbing contest.
