Brian Lara in action.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):
TRINIDAD AND Tobago had front-runners Barbados on the back-foot on a day of drama on the opening day in their Carib Beer Series match yesterday.
Replying to T&T's first innings total of 259, the Barbadians, in pursuit of one point to secure the Carib Beer Cup, crumbled to 15 for four when stumps were drawn at the Carlton Sports Club, Barbados' newest first-class venue.
ELECTRIFYING ACTION
In an electrifying 45 minutes before the close, Mervyn Dillon snared two wickets for six runs from five overs, Dwayne Bravo engineered a sensational run-out, and Richard Kelly added another wicket to set things up nicely for T&T.
Lendl Simmons had hit the top score of 58, batting superstar Brian Lara gave support with 54, and Denesh Ramdin, batting at five, contributed a vital 51, after the visitors were sent in to bat.
Fidel Edwards was the most successful Barbados bowler with three wickets for 87 runs from 17 overs.
Barbados captain Ryan Hinds, off-spin bowler Ryan Austin, and left-arm medium-fast bowler Ian Bradshaw all collected two wickets.
The real drama, however, unfolded in the 13 overs available to Barbados before stumps, when Dillon struck with his first delivery to have opening batsman Wayne Blackman lbw for one.
Four overs later, Kurt Wilkinson, playing on his home ground, was run out for three, when Bravo ran about 10 yards from point to cover, swooped on the ball, and hit the stumps at the bowler's end in one fluid motion.
Bravo was in the action again next over, when Dillon had Hinds, a century-maker in each innings of the previous match, caught at square-cover for a duck essaying a back foot drive.
Opening batsman Dale Richards, also playing on home turf, was soon caught behind for eight to prompt Carnival-like scenes among the rejoicing Trinidadians.
Earlier, T&T had reached 84 for two at the lunch interval on a hard, true pitch under sunny skies.
OTHER RESULTS
AT ST GEORGE'S, Grenada: Guyana, replying to the Windward Islands' 189 all out, reached five for one at the close on the opening day of their Carib Beer Series match at the Tanteen Recreation Oval. Play started at 10.40 after a wet outfield delayed the start.
SCORES: Windwards 189 (Liam Sebastien 64, Junior Murray 33; Mahendra Nagamootoo 5-41, Rayon Griffith 2-17, Narsingh Deonarine 2-20); Guyana 5-1.
Trinidad 1st Innings
L. Simmons c Nurse b Austin 58
I. Khan c wk Browne b Edwards 2
D. Ganga c and bHinds 33
B. Lara c (sub) K. Edwards b Bradshaw 54
+D. Ramdin c wk Browne b Austin 51
D. Bravo c Holder bHinds 4
R. Kelly lbw b Bradshaw 1
R. Emrit c wk Browne b Edwards 28
M. Dillon b Edwards 1
D. Mohammed cHinds b Nurse 0
A. Jaggernauth not out 0
Extras: (b8, lb4, w1, nb14) 27
TOTAL: (all out) 259
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-74, 3-137, 4-172, 5-183, 6-184, 7-236, 8-240, 9-241.
Bowling: Edwards 17-1-87-3 (nb8); Bradshaw 23-4-55-2 (nb3); Nurse 17-5-50-1 (nb3, w1); Hinds 10-3-17-2; Austin 7.3-1-41-2.
Barbados 1st Innings
D. Richards c wk Ramdin b Kelly 8
W. Blackman lbw b Dillon 1
K. Wilkinson run out (Bravo) 3
R. Hinds c Bravo b Dillon 0
F. Reifer not out 1
R. Austin not out 0
Extras: (nb2) 2
TOTAL: (4 wkts) 15
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-6, 3-6, 4-15.
Bowling: Kelly 5-3-9-1 (nb1); Dillon 5-2-6-2 (nb1); Mohammed 2-2-0-0; Jaggernauth 1-1-0-0.
