GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Out-of-favour West Indies left-hander Narsingh Deonarine and rookie batsman Yannic Cariah both carved out unbeaten half-centuries as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force mounted a strong reply on day two of their fifth round match against Windward Islands Volcanoes here yesterday.
At the close at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium, the visitors were 153 for two with Deonarine and Cariah both on 58 not out, leaving their side just 153 runs behind going into day three of the Regional First Class encounter.
The pair have so far added 102 in an unbroken third wicket stand which rescued Red Force after they slipped to 51 for two when seamer Kevin McClean removed both openers.
Right-armer McClean accounted for Jeremy Solozano for two with the score on 14 in the fourth over of the innings and then removed Barbadian import Kyle Hope for 31, after the batsman had posted 37 for the second wicket with Cariah.
However, the left-handed duo of Cariah and Deonarine settled the innings, taking Red Force to tea at 73 for two.
They then controlled the final session, ensuring Volcanoes went wicket-less. Cariah has so far faced 172 balls in just over 3-1/2 hours at the crease and counted two fours while Deonarine has struck two sixes in an innings lasting 111 deliveries and 143 minutes.
McClean, a Barbadian, has taken two for 37.
Earlier, Volcanoes rallied to 306 all out in their first innings after resuming the day on 205 for seven.
Shane Shillingford, on 21 at the start, top-scored with a positive 64 while Mervin Matthew chipped in with a breezy unbeaten 48 off 77 deliveries, with seven fours.
McClean, unbeaten on 15 overnight, added just five before falling but Shillingford and Mathew put on a crucial 79 for the ninth wicket which gave the innings much needed impetus.
The right-handed Shillingford was equally as positive as Matthew, striking four fours and four sixes off 161 balls in 202 minutes.
Leg-spinner Imran Khan was the best bowler with thee for 100 while part-time off-spinner Deonarine (2-29) and seamer Uthman Mohammed (2-51) finished with two wickets apiece.
Scoreboard
VOLCANOES 1st Innings
(overnight 205 for seven)
D Smith lbw b Imran Khan 32
T Theophile c wkp Katwaroo b Uthman Muhammed 9
M Bascombe c wkp Katwaroo b Uthman Muhammed 17
J Charles b Deonarine 0
S Ambris c Hosein b Imran Khan 12
+A Fletcher c Cariah b Hosein 63
*L Sebastien run out 30
S Shillingford lbw b Deonarine 64
K McClean c Jason Mohammed b Imran Khan 20
M Matthew not out 48
K Peters c wkp Katwaroo b Cariah 5
Extras (b1, lb4, nb1) 6
TOTAL (all out, 129.3 overs) 306
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-39, 3-40, 4-73, 5-76, 6-148, 7-170, 8-214, 9-293, 10-306.
Bowling: Richards 15-3-48-0 (nb1), Uthman Mohammed 13-3-51-2, Deonarine 20-6-29-2, Imran Khan 41-8-100-3, Jason Mohammed 7-2-11-0, Hosein 28-8-56-1, Cariah 5.3-0-6-1.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Red Force 1st Innings
J Solozano c Ambris b McClean 2
K Hope c Ambris b McClean 31
Y Cariah not out 58
N Deonarine not out 58
Extras (lb2, w1, nb1) 4
TOTAL (2 wkts, 57 overs) 153
To bat: *J Mohammed, Y Ottley, +S Katwaroo, A Hosein, Imran Khan, M Richards, Uthman Mohammed.
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-51.
Bowling: Matthew 12-5-12-0 (nb1), McClean 7-0-37-2 (w1), Peters 10-2-22-0, Shillingford 16-0-48-0, Sebastien 9-1-30-0, Theophile 3-1-2-0.
Position: Red Force trail by 153 runs with eight wickets intact.