PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad CMC – Debutant fast bowler Daniel St Clair struck twice late on as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force clawed their way back against Jamaica Franchise, in their third round WICB Professional Cricket League match here yesterday. With Jamaica cruising at 65 for two in their second innings on the back of a 42-run, first innings lead, left-armer St Clair removed the threatening pair of Shacaya Thomas and Andre McCarthy, to reduce the visitors to 92 for four at the close of the second day at Queen’s Park Oval. Thomas has so far top-scored with 46 while McCarthy made 21. Captain Tamar Lambert finished on 20 not out.
St Clair, in for speedster Shannon Gabriel who is in the West Indies squad to South Africa, has so far picked up two for 25.
Despite this, T&T were left with much to do as Jamaica enters today’s penultimate day already 134 runs ahead overall.
Earlier, T&T battled to 131 all out in their first innings, after rallying from their overnight precarious position of 59 for five.
They owed much to Imran Khan who top-scored with 26 and captain Rayad Emrit who hit 17 not out. South Africa-bound West Indies left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell added another wicket to his tally to finish with five for 42 while leg-spinner Damian Jacobs (2-3) and speedster Marquino Mindley (2-28) claimed two wickets apiece.
Jamaica wasted little time, striking in the fourth over of the morning when Mindley trapped Jason Mohammed lbw for 15, after the batsman had added just one to his overnight score with T&T on 71 for six.
The impressive Mindley then followed up with the wicket of Akeal Hosein, also lbw for 15 after resuming the day on nought. With T&T tottering at 84 for seven, Imran Khan assumed responsibility for the innings, added 16 for the eighth wicket with Nicholas Pooran (8) and a further 29 for the ninth wicket with Emrit, to see his side past the 100-run mark.
Imran Khan faced 33 balls in 46 minutes and struck four fours before being ninth out, caught at the wicket off Jacobs. Batting again, Jamaica started poorly losing Jon-Ross Campbell (1) and Nkrumah Bonner (2) to slump to 24 for two. However, Thomas and McCarthy combined to add 41 for the third wicket and strengthen Jamaica’s hold on the encounter.
Thomas, coming off a half-century in the second round, struck eight fours off 65 balls while McCarthy was also positive in his stroke play, hammering three fours and a six off just 25 deliveries.
St Clair then broke the stand, bowling Thomas and then trapping McCarthy lbw, four overs later.
