Ronsford Beaton is livid with his partner Ricardo Adams after he was run out for 21
Led by left-arm spinner Jovan Ali (5-35) and an unbeaten 57 from skipper Steven Katwaroo, defending champions Trinidad and Tobago notched up a convincing 26-run victory over hosts Guyana in round one of the WICB Regional Under-19 limited overs game at Bourda August 9.
Chasing 182 to win, the hosts were bowled out for 155 in 41 overs.
On paper, the target looked gettable but judging from the way the Guyanese batted in the three-day tournament, the chase was always a difficult one.
And so it was! They were off to a shaky start losing both openers in the first seven overs. Kevon Boodie (5) and Kandasammy Surujnarine (5) were both removed by left-arm pacer Stephen Sooklall at 13-2 off 6.1 overs.
However, left-handers Kwame Crosse and Chanderpaul Hemraj joined forces and consolidated the innings up to the 23rd over. Both batsmen batted with composure mixed with aggression, until Crosse became Jovan Ali’s first of five victims, bowled off the inside edge for 27, to end the 57-run third wicket stand with Hemraj at 70-3.
The hosts were then reduced to 104 for 8 in 33.2 overs, losing the wickets of Chanderpaul Hemraj (29 3×4, 59 balls), Anthony Admans (2), Loemal LaFleur (16), Clenton Pestano (0) and Amir Khan (0).
Ronsford Beaton made a fighting 21 before he went via the run out rout at 133-9.
At that stage things looked bleak for the hosts but Ricardo Adams launched two massive sixes off off-spinner Akeal Hosein in the 41st over to put some smiles, and probably some hope, in the Guyanese camp, but not for long.
Two balls later, Gudakesh Motie (0) was run out attempting a quick single that eventually ended the innings with nine overs remaining.
Jovan Ali finished with 5-35 off 8 overs. He was supported by Stephen Sooklall 2-35 off nine overs and Derone Davis 1-15 off his nine overs.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the tourists experienced a wobbly start to their innings as they lost half of their side for just 82 runs from 27.3 overs.
Duane Cockburn (2) was leg before to Pestano and Emmanuel Lett (2) had his off-stump uprooted by Beaton to leave the defending champions on 48-2 in the first mandatory power play as disciplined bowling by the Guyanese new-ball bowlers had the Trinidadians in trouble.
Trinidad and Tobago then began the long haul of recovery, as Kieron Joseph and Akeal Hosein dropped anchor to add 34 runs in the next 10.5 overs.
The defending champions’ batsmen failed to rotate the strike for the most part of their innings and slipped to 82 for 6 in 27.5 overs, losing the wickets of Kieron Joseph (27) bowled by LaFleur at 56-3, Derone Davis (9) leg before to Amir Khan at 76- 4, and Akeal Hosein (29) and Isian Rajah (0) removed by LaFleur.
Skipper Steven Katwaroo and Savion Lara then played sensible cricket with ones and twos combined with occasional boundaries to steady the ship to add a crucial 54 runs for the seventh wicket in 14.2 overs, before Lara departed for 28 to leave the tourists at 136 for 7 in 42.5 overs.
The batting power play was taken at the start of the 45th with Trinidad manage to score 35 runs, losing the wicket of Idrees Mohammed (7).Katwaroo was unbeaten on 57 while Stephen Sooklall finished on 5 not out, adding a vital 22 runs when the innings expired.
Joemal LaFleur took 3 wickets for 23 in 10 overs. He was the pick of the bowlers. Leg-spinner Amir Khan had 2 for 31 off his 10 overs, while fast bowlers Clinton Pestano took 2 for 46 off 8 overs and skipper Ronsford Beaton 1 for 26 off his seven overs.
