T&T capture one-day title despite masterful 81 from Devon Smith
By Sean Devers in St Vincent
In association with Cellink Plus
& Kishan Bacchus Construction
Kaieteur News
February 18, 2007
A man-of-the-match performance from Sherwin Ganga spearheaded Triniad and Tobago to a thrilling last-over five-run victory against the Windward Islands yesterday at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex to capture the KFC Cup regional one-day cricket title and the US$10,000 prize money.
Ganga hit a critical 64 as T&T were restricted to 210-8 off their allotted 50 over and then bowled 10 overs for 17 runs with his off-spin as the hosts were dismissed for 205 with two balls remaining in the epic battle despite a masterful 81 from opener Devon Smith and 39 from skipper Rawle Lewis.
Trinidad and Tobago , playing an unchanged team from their semi-final clash against Guyana on Thursday, lost the toss and were invited by the Windwards to bat on a much better track for batting than the ones used in the semis.
In a game used a 'dry run' for St Vincent's hosting of four CWC warm-up matches next month, T&T were in early trouble when 16-year-old school boy Adrian Barath (0) edged West Indies Under-19 medium pacer Mervin Matthews to slip at 6-1.
Matthews struck again, he induced skipper Daren Ganga (7) to slip at 21-2 before Daren Sammy knocked out Simmons' stumps after the opener had made16 from 37 balls as the double defending regional four-day champions slipped to 54-3.
Sherwin Ganga and teenage sensation Kieron Pollard, who got off the mark with a scintillating back foot punch off Sammy to the cover boundary, carried their team to 83 before Pollard was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Rawle Lewis. Pollard, the only new comer in the West Indies World Cup squad, hit two boundaries from 28 balls in his 22.
Denesh Ramdin (13) was then run out at 118 after adding 35 for the fifth wicket with the solid Sherwin Ganga as the Windwards maintained the pressure on the Trinis with on-target bowling and alert fielding on the lush refurbished outfield.
Playing before virtually empty stands at a venue which should accommodate12 000 fans when completed and with the construction sounds of drilling, hammering and sawing in the background, Rayad Emrit (1 ) soon lofted Lewis, who bowled with excellent variation, high to long-off as T&T stuttered to 122-6 in the 36th over.
Reaching his third fifty at this level, Ganga was dismissed after equaling his highest regional one-day score of 64 when he was run out at 165-7, attempting suicidal second run. Dave Mohamed (19) was then bowled by Matthews (8-0-22-3) at 203-8 leaving Kelly unbeaten on 41 with three fours.
Lewis supported with 2-45 for the Islanders, hunting their third title at this level and first since 2000.
Dubbed the under dogs in the contest, the Windwards were off to an explosive start as the inform Smith, followed up his unbeaten 75 in the first semi-final on Friday with his third consecutive half-century in the competition and received excellent support from Lyndon James as the Windwards galloped to 50 in 11 overs.
Smith, evoking memories of the late West Indies opener Roy Fredericks with a barrage a savage cuts and exhilarating cover drives, tore into the T&T seamers with contempt.
T&T's hopes of taking the KFC Cup back home for Carnival Monday tomorrow, suffered a serious blow when Mohamed at point failed to hold on to a brutal cut from Smith when on 21 in Rampaul's first over to the delight of the small gathering which included West Indies coach Bennett King.
Smith reached his sixth half century at this level from 70 balls with five fours to overhaul Pollard as the competition's leading run scorer and set the Windward Islands firmly on course to lift the coveted title in their own back yard.
However, when Mohamed trapped James (23) leg before and had Andre Fletcher (3) caught at slip 10 runs later the Trinis were back in business. The run out of Hyron Shallow (1) ment that the hosts, known for their tendency to collapse when in control, were 92-3 and had lost their firm grip on the game.
Smith, on whose shoulders rested the bulk of the responsibility of denying T&T their eight title, continued to be positive; slog weeping the wily Mohamed for a contemptuous boundary in the 31st over to free the shackles.
With off-spinner Sherwin Ganga (10-3-17-0) out of the attack, the pressure was eased and the experienced Sammy and Smith carried the score to 129 before Smith was snapped up at point by Mohamed after hitting seven fours in his 121-ball innings.
When the exciting Pollard (3-44) removed Sammy (18), Liam Sebastian (1) and Butler (0) in the space of three runs, the Windwards had collapsed in familiar fashion to 160-7 with the well set Lewis watching helplessly from the other end. Lewis drove Rampaul to the cover boundary before pulling Pollard to square-leg and lofting him over the sight screen off successive balls in the next over as the excitement mounted.
Rampaul delivered a crucial blow at 188-8 when he comprehensively bowled Lewis who made a 37-ball 39 with four fours and a six.
Mathurin (6) was bowled by Mohamed in the penultimate over with victory nine runs away before Ezekiel Francis (10) was run out with the Windwards needing six to win from three balls to spark wild celebrations among the Trinis.