The Windward Islands got their West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional U-19 three-day tournament campaign off to a perfect start yesterday, humbling Trinidad and Tobago by an innings and 21 runs at the Enmore ground.
Needing to score 175 runs to force the Windward Islands to bat again, Trinidad and Tobago were dismissed for 154 runs from 81.2 overs to surrender outright points. Leg spinner Doran Edwards led the winners with 5-35 from 18.2 overs which included six maidens. He was assisted by off-spinner Devon Hypolite who bagged two wickets for 27 runs from 16 overs.
Leading the resistance for the twin island republic were Jeremy Solazano and Brian Christmas who scored 43 runs apiece which included four 4s each. Resuming from their overnight score of 49-1, Trinidad and Tobago increased their total by 65 runs in the opening session from 33 overs for the loss of four wickets. It began with them adding 24 runs to the score before Solazano fell in the 28th over to Hypolite after being caught by Tonis Simon.
Justin Joseph and Camilio Carimbocas then added 27 runs to the score before Carimbocas was dismissed leg before wicket (LBW) to Edwards for 12 in the 47th over. They then suffered a further setback as Joseph and Christmas both fell with the scores on 107.
Gidron Pope accounted for the wicket of Joseph who was caught by Melvin Gordon for 10 while Christmas became Edwards’s second victim of the day as he was sent back to the pavilion LBW. The opening session eventually finished at 114-5 off 53 overs.
The struggle continued for Trinidad and Tobago in the second session as the remaining five wickets were dismissed for 40 runs off 28.2 overs.
Samuel Roopnarine was first to go after the resumption, and was dismissed for five runs after being run-out while trying to attempt a quick single. With the scores at 119-6 in the 55 over, it became seven down four balls later with the scores unchanged as Edwards picked up his third victim, snaring Jameel Maniram, LBW for a duck.
Three runs were then added to the score before Jesse Bootan was stumped off the bowling of Edwards by wicketkeeper Anson Latchman for two in the 58.2 over after Bootan inexplicably walked out of his crease following a caught behind appeal by the Windward Island players.
Anderson Phillip and Akil Seetal then frustrated the Windward Islands unit, adding 23 runs for the ninth wicket stand over the course of 12.3 overs. The partnership would eventually be broken in the 71st over by Hypolite who dismissed Phillip, LBW for 20 runs.
The win would then be sealed by Edwards seven runs later, as he clinched a five-wicket haul by dismissing Seetal caught behind by Latchman for four runs.