PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Leeward Islands needed just an hour and 20 minutes to snatch the last four Trinidad and Tobago wickets and secure a thrilling 29-run victory in their fifth round Regional First Class Championship match here yesterday.
Leg-spinner Anthony Martin proved the trump card for the visitors as he picked up five for 41 to send T&T tumbling to 153 all out at Queen’s Park Oval. Off-spinner Justin Athanaze finished with four for 56.
The victory for the Leewards was their first of the tournament after garnering just three points from an abandoned match against Guyana in the last round.
Sherwin Ganga stroked a top score of 77, facing 182 balls and striking seven fours and a six, but found no support as T&T slipped to their first defeat of the championship.
Resuming the final day on 75 for five with Runako Morton unavailable to bat, the overnight pair of Ganga and Rayad Emrit took the hosts to 105, to offer T&T some hope.
Martin bowled Emrit for 12; ending a partnership of 32 for the sixth wicket but Yannick Carriah (17) joined Ganga to add another 44 for the seventh wicket.
However, Athanaze had Carriah caught behind at 149 and the Leewards performed the final rites when Ganga was stumped off Martin.
