Trinidad got off to the perfect start in their preparation for the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India later this month, by clinching a convincing 56-run win over Guyana at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda, yesterday.
Scores: Trinidad (144 for 5, Lendl Simmons 88, William Perkins 19, Christopher Barnwell 2-12) defeated Guyana (91 for 6, Steven Jacobs 31, Derwin Christian 21, Shannon Gabriel 2-16, Rayad Emrit 2-19, Kevon Cooper 2-11) by 56 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
The Daren Ganga-led side who left out regulars in fast-bowler Ravi Rampaul and leg-spinner Samuel Badree, won the toss and elected to take first strike on a sun-drenched, placid Bourda wicket.
Their innings was cut short due a rain interruption, and their final score was propelled mainly by a belligerent aggressive innings by West Indies opener Lendl Simmons, who delighted a handful of spectators with his 88 (48 balls, 7×4, 7×6). Christopher Barnwell 2-1, Davendra Bishoo 1-10 and Assad Fudadin 2-22 were the wicket takers for the locals.
In reply, the Guyanese, needing a revised target of 147 in 15 overs, collapsed to 41 for 6 in the seventh over, as the pacy 23-year-old Shannon Gabriel (2 for 16) who has been touted as a potential future West Indies quick bowling option along with medium pacers Rayad Emrit (2-19) and Kevon Cooper (2-11) broke the back of the top order.
However, an unbeaten 50-run, seventh-wicket partnership between Steven Jacobs (31) and newly selected West Indies Twenty20 wicket-keeper Derwin Christian (21) simply made sure the home side batted out the allotted overs.
The second and final practice encounter takes place today at Bourda from 2:00pm.
