PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Darren Bravo passed 400 runs with his third straight half-century and fifth of the Regional Super50 Cup as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force dealt Guyana Jaguars’ semi-final hopes another blow with a six-wicket win here Saturday night.
The left-hander, left out of the West Indies team due to poor international form, extended his heavy scoring with 98 as Red Force overcame an early blip to overhaul their target of 219 with nine balls to spare at Queen’s Park Oval, and confirm their spot in the final four.
Red Force found themselves in a spot of bother at 51 for three in the 14th over after left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-49) struck twice but Bravo put on 165 for the fourth wicket with Mohammed who stroked an unbeaten 71, to see Red Force comfortably over the line.
Bravo, who struck an unbeaten 115 in Red Force’s opener, was in sight of his second century of the campaign when he perished with three runs required for victory.
All told, the 30-year-old faced 119 deliveries and crunched four fours and seven sixes, to reach 447 runs for the tournament at an average of 111.
Jaguars, needing a win to enhance their semi-final bid, could only muster 218 for eight after a delayed start due to rain turned the contest into a 46-overs per side affair.
Sent in, they were going nowhere fast at 78 for five in the 25th over before Jonathan Foo arrived to pummel a top score of 97 not out off 92 deliveries.
However, while several other batsmen got starts but none carried on, leaving Jaguars’ bowlers with a tough task of defending a small total.
Opener Chandrapaul Hemraj (8) and Chris Barnwell (6) fell cheaply with just 32 runs on the board in the 13th over and though Foo tried to rebuild, he continued to lose partners cheaply.
With the innings lagging, he took matters into his own hands, blasting half-dozen fours and four sixes as he put on a crucial 71 for the sixth wicket with Ronaldo Alimohammed (27) and 50 for the eighth wicket with Permaul (22).
Leg-spinning captain Imran Khan was the best bowler with three for 23 from 10 frugal overs.
Permaul then removed both openers to set back Red Force, bowling Tion Webster for eight and then getting Kyle Hope to hole out to mid-off for 14, as the hosts stumbled to 26 for two in the seventh over.
When Akeal Hosein followed for 16 in the 14th over, Red Force were in need of a rebuild and Bravo and Mohammed came to the fore to deny Jaguars.
Red Force top Group B on 24 while Jaguars, in third on 16 points, and West Indies Emerging Players – second on 18 points – will do battle for the second semi-final spot.