ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad, CMC – A memorable all-round performance from newcomer Carlos Brathwaite brought Combined Campuses & Colleges back into their match against Trinidad & Tobago in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday.
Brathwaite snared five wickets for 38 runs from 15 overs, as T&T, chasing 218 for victory, reached 134 for five in their second innings at the close on the third day of the second round match.
Justin Guillen has so far led the way for T&T with 41, their captain Daren Ganga was not out on 39, and Lendl Simmons got 28.
Brathwaite had hit the top score of 61, and veteran Floyd Reifer made 55 to lead the CCC to 250 in their second innings. Brathwaite struck five fours from 151 balls in 3 ½ hours of batting, and Reifer smote three fours and three sixes off 168 balls in close to the same amount of time.
The pair added 109 for the sixth wicket, after the visitors resumed from their treacherous overnight position of 135 for five.
They carried the CCC to 227 for five at lunch before the seam bowlers Rayad Emrit and Shannon Gabriel shared the last five wickets inside the first hour after the interval.Emrit ended with four for 32 from 26 overs, and Gabriel finished with four four 53 from 19.4 overs.
T&T started their chase confidently, with openers Simmons and Guillen putting on 74 for the first wicket with little trouble.
But things started to happen when Brathwaite returned for a second spell from the northern end to leave T&T tottering on 93 for five.
Brathwaite had Simmons caught in the deep, and without addition to the total, he bowled Runako Morton for a duck. The 6-foot, 2-inch tall all-rounder then had Guillen caught at slip, Aneil Kanhai caught close to the wicket for five, and trapped Denesh Ramdin lbw for a duck.
But Imran Khan joined Ganga, and they spent most of the last hour in an unbroken stand of 41 for the sixth wicket.
T&T are fourth in the competition on six points, after they gained first innings points in their drawn opening match against arch-rivals Barbados on home soil at Guaracara Park. They are seeking to avoid their third straight defeat to the CCC in the regional first-class championship.
CCC are co-leaders with the three-time defending champions Jamaica and invitational side England Lions on 12 points, following a 33-run victory over Windward Islands, after conceding first innings points also on home soil at the Three Ws Ova
