(CMC) – Kjorn Ottley struck a superb unbeaten hundred to propel a confident Trinidad and Tobago Red Force run chase, as the hosts brushed aside Windward Islands Volcanoes by six wickets to pick up their first win of the Super50 Cup.
Asked to overhaul 255 at Queen’s Park Oval yesterday, Red Force cruised to their target with two overs to spare, with the 33-year-old Ottley lashing 134 not out off 142 deliveries.
His opening partner Tion Webster chipped in with 40 from 60 deliveries while Terrance Hinds slammed a 15-ball unbeaten 26 and Captain Darren Bravo, 25.
Kjorn Ottley hits out during his unbeaten hundred against Windward Islands Volcanoes on Thursday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)
Sent in earlier, Volcanoes were carried by West Indies opener Johnson Charles who top-scored with 87 from 69 balls, along with Kavem Hodge who made 45 from 67 balls and Alick Athanaze who struck 39 from 49 deliveries at the top of the order.
Captain Andre Fletcher gathered 36 from 44 balls in his new role at number seven but Volcanoes found themselves short of a really competitive total after managing only 32 runs from the last five overs.
They were stymied largely by leg-spinner Yannic Cariah who claimed four for 57 and veteran off-spinner Sunil Narine who ended with two for 27.
The win for Red Force was their first following their no-result on Tuesday against CCC while Volcanoes slumped to their second straight defeat after losing their opener to Guyana Harpy Eagles, also on Tuesday.
Volcanoes were handed a rollicking start by Charles and Athanaze, the pair posting 111 for the first wicket before Red Force managed to pull back the scoring.
Charles belted eight fours and five sixes, racing to his fifty off 35 balls at the end of the tenth over from pacer Shannon Gabriel, with a boundary to deep-square.
Athanaze also sparkled with four fours and a six before becoming the first casualty of the innings, edging a booming drive at Cariah to first slip at the end of the 17th over.
Cariah also accounted for Charles in the 23rd over, caught low down at first slip and the best partnership thereafter was 33 for the sixth between Hodge and Fletcher.
In reply, Ottley dominated for the hosts, belting 11 fours and three sixes as he put on 112 for the first wicket with Webster, 49 for the third with Bravo, 52 for the fourth with Jason Mohammed (20) and 36 in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership with Hinds.
Ottley reached his fifty off 32 balls at the end of the eighth over and posted triple figures off 119 deliveries in the 39th over, with a boundary to cover off pacer Ryan John.
