PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Lendl Simmons narrowly missed-out on a hundred, as Trinidad & Tobago earned a draw with England Lions in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday.
Simmons struck 12 fours and two sixes in 94 off 99 balls in just over two hours, as T&T, set 320 for victory, finished on 196 for three in their second innings, when the match drew to a close on the final day of the third round match at Queen’s Park Oval.
T&T captain Daren Ganga also scored an unbeaten 60, and Lions leg-spinner Adil Rashid finished with two wickets for 73 runs from 24 overs
The Lions earned six points from the match to move to 24, and T&T collected three to rise to 21.
“We were always in this match, and it says a lot for this team,” said T&T captain Daren Ganga.
“We are disappointed we did not get the first innings points we wanted, but the players can take a lot out of the game as we move forward.”
He added: “We have gotten 21 points from three matches at home, which is not a bad effort, and we will be looking to do well as we take to the road from this weekend.”
T&T travel to Kingstown, St. Vincent, where they face Windward Islands at the Arnos Vale Multi-Purpose Complex in the fourth round, when the Lions return to Barbados to meet the Combined Campuses & Colleges at the Three Ws Oval.
Simmons looked in control before he had a rush of blood, advanced down the pitch, essayed a wild swipe, and was caught at cover off the last ball before tea from Rashid.
His innings spanned 127 minutes, occupied 99 balls, and was laced with 12 fours and two sixes that thrilled the handful of spectators at the ground.
His dismissal ended any realistic chance of T&T chasing down the winning total, and they buckled down to bat through the remainder of the game.
Ganga continued where he left off in the first innings when he scored 47 and again looked good. He played some elegant drives and delicate cuts to gather 12 fours in his 117-ball innings in just over two hours.
Earlier, the Lions, resuming on 184 for four, pushed hard for runs and declared their second innings about half-hour before lunch on 277 for six, with James Taylor not out on 44.
T&T leg-spinner Imran Khan took three for 64 from 24 overs, and Amit Jaggernauth two for 45 from 21 overs.
Scoreboard
ENGLAND LIONS 1st Innings 325
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 1st Innings 283
ENGLAND LIONS 2nd Innings
(overnight 185 for four)
A. Lyth b Mohammed 29
J. Adams st Ramdin b Khan 66
A. Gale c Guillen b Khan 55
*J. Hildreth c Guillen b Jaggernauth 5
J. Taylor not out 44
+C. Kieswetter c Morton b Jaggernauth 11
A. Rashid b Khan 5
L. Plunkett not out 38
Extras (b8, lb6, nb10) 24
TOTAL (6 wkts decl’d, 81 overs) 277
Fall of wickets: 1-73, 2-157, 3-166, 4-166, 5-186, 6-191
Bowling: Gabriel 9-0-48-0, Emrit 6-2-125-0, Khan 24-2-64-3, Jaggernauth 21-5-45-2, S. Ganga 8-0-32-0, D. Mohammed 13-2-31-1
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2nd Innings (target: 320)
L. Simmons c (sub) Stokes b Rashid 94
J. Guillen c Taylor b Dernbach 1
R. Morton b Rashid 19
*D. Ganga not out 60
S. Ganga not out 17
Extras (b4, nb1) 5
TOTAL (3 wkts, 53 overs) 196
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-70, 3-155
Bowling: Dernbach 11-1-40-1, Buck 8-0-36-0, Rashid 24-0-73-2, Plunkett 6-1-26-0, Briggs 4-0-27-0
Result: Match drawn
Points: England Lions 6, T&T 3
Man-of-the-Match: A. Gale (England Lions)
Umpires: N. Duguid, N. Malcolm
Matchreferee: H. Bruce
Reserve umpire: K. Barrasingha
Standings after the third round
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Points standings in the WICB Regional first-class championship after the third round of matches ended yesterday.
(NOTE: Tournament tie-breaker rule used to give true position of team on the ladder; top four regional teams qualify for the semi-finals)
1. England Lions 24 points
2. Jamaica 24
3. Combined Campuses & Colleges 24
4. Trinidad & Tobago 21
5. Windward Islands 19
6. Barbados 9
7. Guyana 7
8. Leeward Islands 3
Fourth round of matches: February 25 to 28 – Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at Warner Park, Basseterre, St. Kitts; Guyana vs Barbados at Guyana National Stadium, Providence, Guyana; Combined Campuses & Colleges vs England Lions at Three Ws Oval, Cave Hill, Barbados; Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Arnos Vale Multi-Purpose Complex, Kingstown, St. Vincent.
