PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Jamaica predictably qualified for the Regional First Class Championship final after their semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago finished in a controversial no-decision yesterday.
Chasing Jamaica’s mammoth 664, T&T ended on 448 for nine at the close of the final day at the Sri Frank Worrell Ground.
According to West Indies Cricket Board’s rules governing the tournament, if semi-finals end in a no-result, the team which came out on top during the head-to-head clash in the preliminary round, would advance.
Jamaica took first innings from T&T in their preliminary clash at Sabina Park last month but finished fourth in the standings behind the second placed Trinidadians.
An upset T&T team manager Omar Khan said legal advice had already been sought on the situation.
On the field, centuries from captain Daren Ganga (107) and all-rounder Rayad Emrit (113 not out) were not enough to get T&T up to their target, after they resumed the day at 198 for four. The right-handed Ganga hit eight fours off 233 balls in a shade over six hours at the crease while Emrit counted 15 fours and a six in a counter-attacking innings spanning 126 balls and 160 minutes.
T&T’s run chase was derailed early in the day when Denesh Ramdin, unbeaten on 49 overnight, edged behind off West Indies seamer Andre Russell (4-89) after adding just six runs.
West Indies big-hitter Kieron Pollard (48) then added 101 for the seventh wicket with Ganga, as T&T tried to accelerate the scoring.
Pollard fell at 393, lbw to medium pacer Dave Bernard Jr and Ganga and Emrit posted a further 45 for the eighth wicket before Ganga fell to a tired pull, caught at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of leg-spinner Odean Brown.
Emrit then took matters into his own hands, but his frenetic 94-run ninth wicket stand with Amit Jaggernauth (12) was not enough to prevent T&T from missing out on the final against Combined Campuses and Colleges.
