Tony Becca
THE 2005/2006 Carib Beer Series is over and congratulations to Trinidad and Tobago on winning the double.
After the many stops and starts during the series, T&T won the Cup on the head-to-head rule after defeating Barbados in the final match to finish level with them on points. Then, in the semi-finals and final of the Challenge Trophy, in two impressive performances, they knocked off the Windward Islands by 391 runs and Barbados by 125 to tick off two comfortable victories.
As comfortable as they were, however, they were not easy victories and heartiest congratulations to T&T's young Jason Mohammed, to their lower order, to tail-end batsmen and to their spin bowlers who, in pulling their team out of trouble, in taking their team to victory, must have embarrassed the West Indies players and more so the West Indies selectors.
The West Indies players must have been embarrassed because of the number of times, in a glorious display of team spirit, in a one-for-all, all-for-one unity, in an unrelenting bid to win, to put out their best, T&Ts bowlers rescued them with the bat.
The West Indies selectors also must have been embarrassed because of the part played by T&T's spinners in their victories.
Struggling at 42 for five in the semi-final after winning the toss and electing to bat, T&T recovered to reach 255 thanks not only to young Mohammed, who turned up with a brilliant, undefeated 124, but also to pace bowler Rayad Emrit, who chipped in with 58, and to offspinner Anil Jaggernauth who, batting at number 11, contributed an invaluable 33.
After that, it was all over and not because captain Daren Ganga stroked a confident 161 in the second innings, but because Jaggernauth took four wickets in the first innings and left-arm wrist spinner Dave Mohammed took three in the first innings and seven in the second as the Windward Islands were routed for 131 and 149.
Struggling at 170 for seven in the final after winning the toss and electing to bat, T&T recovered to reach 340 thanks to pace bowler Emrit, who turned up with 112, and Dave Mohammed who, batting at number 10, chipped in with 50.
After that, it was all over and not only because Richard Kelly, the all-rounder batting at number six in the absence of the injured Dwayne Bravo, scored 93 after joining the action at 47 for four, but also, with one taking three and four and the other two and four, because spinners Mohammed and Jaggernauth took 13 wickets between them, including eight in the last innings of the match.
T&T played well, they played as a team, and they deserve their double
triumph. In their celebration, however, they should save a toast especially for pacers Emrit and Kelly who, on top of their bowling, scored some valuable runs, to offspinner Jaggernauth who, apart from scoring some runs, took 12 wickets in the two Challenge matches, and more so for Dave Mohammed the left-arm wrist spinner who, also apart from scoring some runs, took 28 wickets at an average of 16.17 in the five matches of the Cup and 17 at 11.94 in the two Challenge Trophy matches.
