Amit Jaggernauth celebrates with Brian Lara, who took the catch to dismiss Dwayne Smith and Trinidad captain Daren Ganga, during the Carib Beer Challenge final against Barbados at Guaracara Park, Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad won by 125 runs. - CMC PHOTO/COLIN CUMBERBATCH
POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad (CMC):
TRINIDAD AND Tobago completed a dream double by emphatically beating Barbados by 125 runs to lift the 2005-2006 Carib Beer Challenge at Guaracara Park yesterday.
Trinidad and Tobago, who clinched the Cup when they beat the same opponents in Barbados in early February, won the Challenge final at 1:30 p.m. on the fifth day to the delight of celebrating hometown supporters.
Barbados, resuming on 110 for four in search of a winning target of 337, were dismissed for 211 and were undermined by the spin combination of Dave Mohammed and Amit Jaggernauth.
While Barbados captain Ryan Hinds, the tournament's leading run-scorer, batted solidly for an even half-century, his teammates folded to the threat of left-arm wrist spinner Mohammed, who finished with four for 55 off 24 overs, and off-spinner Jagger-nauth, who collected four for 62 in 35.3 overs.
"I am elated and I'm sure the guys in the team are happy with our efforts and performances throughout the series," Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga said.
PLAYED WELL
"We played cricket consistently well and we came out in this final and did exactly that. We knew that we were at home and we knew that we were favourites."
It was Trinidad and Tobago's third regional title in 18 months following the capture of the Cup earlier in the year and the limited overs President's Trophy in October 2004.
"It's a matter of us understanding that we've got the talent and the ability ... it's just that we've not been able to string together performances to win tournaments," Ganga said.
"The young players are very hungry. They are eager to do well for themselves and for Trinidad and Tobago. We're just finding the right combination of players to go out there and do the business."
Barbados, who also finished second to Trinidad and Tobago in the Cup, made no excuses for their defeat.
"I thought that we played really good cricket. It's just unfortunate that we lost a few wickets. That is what put us back," Hinds said.
"It was a pretty good pitch. It's unfortunate that we didn't bat as well as we would have liked."
Hinds, who started the day on 14, dropped anchor before he was ninth out, lifting a catch to deep mid-off off Mohammed.
Hinds' 50, made in just under four hours off 199 balls and containing five fours, boosted his aggregate for the tournament to 720 runs, while the wicket gave Mohammed his 45th scalp of the tournament, the most by any bowler.
Needing a further 227 runs at the start of the day with six wickets in hand, Barbados lost an early wicket with first innings top-scorer Kirk Edwards outfoxed by Mohammed as he searched for a drive and was stumped by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin for nine.
An aggressive Patrick Browne counter-attacked in an entertaining knock of 31 off 36 balls that included five fours and a six before falling half-hour before lunch, holing out on the deep mid-wicket boundary after attempting to pull Jaggernauth.
Hinds continued to bat responsibly through until lunch in company with Ian Bradshaw, but Trinidad and Tobago struck six minutes after resumption when Bradshaw was caught at the wicket reaching for a drive against Mohammed.
Mohammed struck again with another catch off the outside edge as Ryan Austin was caught at second slip shaping for a drive.
Hinds followed 25 minutes later and Trinidad and Tobago wrapped up victory when Jaggernauth bowled Pedro Collins to trigger celebrations around the ground.
Trinidad and Tobago
first innings 340
Barbados first innings 270
Trinidad and Tobago second innings 266
Barbados second innings (Resumed at 110 for 4)
R. Hinds c Kelly b D. Mohammed 50
K. Edwards st Ramdin b D. Mohammed 10
P. Browne c Bravo b Jaggernauth 31
I. Bradshaw c Ramdin b D. Mohammed 9
R. Austin c Bravo b D. Mohammed 2
P. Collins b Jaggernauth 8
C. Collymore not out 0
Extras (b10, lb1) 11
Total (all out - 87.3 overs) 211
Fall: 1-86, 2-89, 3-97, 4-99, 5-132, 6-172, 7-190, 8-194, 9-209, 10-211.
Bowling: Dillon 10-3-30-0, Emrit 11-3-32-0, Mohammed 24-9-55-4, Jaggernauth 35.3-11-62-4, Kelly 7-2-21-2.
Result: Trinidad and Tobago won by 125 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Rayad Emrit.
CARIB BEER SERIES AWARDS
Cup Champions: Trinidad and
Tobago - US$12,500
Challenge Champions: Trinidad and
Tobago - US$5,000
Sir Vivian Richards Award (most runs): Ryan Hinds (Barbados) 720 runs
Courtney Walsh Award (most
wickets): Dave Mohammed (T&T) 45 wickets
Clive Lloyd Award (most catches): Ryan Hinds (Barbados), Darren Sammy
(Windward Islands) 11 catches.
Malcolm Marshall Memorial Award (top all-rounder): Richard Kelly (T&T)
314 runs, 16 wickets.
Deryck Murray Award (top wicket keeper): Patrick Browne (Barbados).
Andy Roberts Award (most promising fast bowler): Andrew Richardson (Jamaica).
