BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Justin Guillen’s half-century proved the difference as Trinidad and Tobago won their second straight match of the Regional Super50 with a three-wicket win over Leeward Islands here yesterday.
The West Indies A left-hander top scored with 72 to lead T&T to a tricky target of 239 at Warner Park, as the visitors kept up their solid start to the one-day season.
Opener Lendl Simmons slammed 48 at the top of the order while Yannick Ottley’s patient, unbeaten 47 saw T&T over the line.
Leg-spinner Anthony Martin was outstanding, finishing with three for 24 from his 10 overs.
Earlier, West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Devon Thomas hammered 69 from 86 balls while Tonito Willett weighed in with 51 not out off a mere 38 deliveries as Leeward Islands got up to 238 for seven off their 50 overs after they were sent in.
Jahmar Hamilton’s 49 from 68 balls also proved handy while captain Sylvester Joseph chipped in with 21.
West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree claimed three for 23 while fast bowler Shannon Gabriel picked up two for 53. T&T suffered an early setback in their run chase when they lost the out-of-form opener Adrian Barath, bowled by fast bowler Quinton Boatswain for two at four for one in the fifth over.
Simmons and Evin Lewis (13) added 46 for the second wicket to steady the innings before the Leewards struck two telling blows.
The right-handed Simmons struck four fours and three sixes off 40 balls while Lewis hit two fours off 23 deliveries before giving a return catch to Martin in the 11th over. Simmons then perished lbw to Martin in the 17th over but Guillen arrived to lay the foundation for victory with a 77-run, fourth wicket partnership with Kjorn Ottley (12).
Guillen faced 63 balls and struck eight fours and two sixes but when he and Ottley fell in quick succession, T&T were still adrift of their target at 162 for five in the 33rd over. However, Yannick Ottley counted five fours in a focussed 60-ball knock to steer T&T to victory.
Scoreboard
LEEWARDS
M Hodge c Simmons b Gabriel 1
A Richards Jr b Badree 2
R Cornwall lbw b Badree 8
*S Joseph c Badree b Cariah 21
+D Thomas c Lewis b Ottley 69
J Hamilton c and b Badree 49
T Willett not out 51
J Athanaze c Badree b Gabriel 19
Extras (b1, lb4, w13) 18
TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 238
Did not bat: G Tonge, A Martin, Q Boatswain.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-5, 3-22, 4-58, 5-139, 6-174, 7-238.
Bowling: Badree 10-3-23-3, Gabriel 10-3-53-2, Cariah 8-2-42-1, Emrit 10-0-42-0, Ottley 7-0-43-1, Simmons 5-0-30-0.
T&T
L Simmons lbw b Martin 48
A Barath b Boatswain 2
E Lewis c and b Martin 13
J Guillen run out 72
K Ottley b Martin 12
Y Ottley not out 47
+N Pooran b Willett 10
*R Emrit c Richards b Tonge 18
S Badree not out 10
Extras (lb1, nb6) 7
TOTAL (7 wkts, 48.3 overs) 239
Did not bat: Y Cariah, S Gabriel.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-50, 3-73, 4-150, 5-162, 6-187, 7-223.
Bowling: Tonge 10-1-40-1, Boatswain 8-1-55-1, Martin 10-3-24-3, Athanaze 10-0-51-0, Willett 9.3-0-55-1, Joseph 1-0-13-0.
Result: T&T won by three wickets.
Points: T&T 4, Leewards 0.
Man-of-the-Match: Justin Guillen.
Toss: T&T.
Umpires: N Malcolm & L Reifer.
