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Despite a resilient, unbeaten century from Ramnaresh Sarwan (105n.o)Trinidad and Tobago, led by a magnificent spell of spin bowling from Amit Jaggernauth (5-52) completed a nine-wicket victory over Guyana in their first round match of the 2008 Regional Carib Beer cricket tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval ground yesterday.
Scores Guyana 334 and 249; Trinidad & Tobago 401 and 185-1.
Needing to score 183 for victory in 68 overs after bowling out Guyana for 249 in their second innings, Trinidad made 185 for the loss of one wicket to win by nine wickets.
The win puts them at the top of the leader board with 12 points together with Jamaica and Barbados.
Openers Lendl Simmons (60) and Adrian Barath, gave their team a solid start, posting 106 for the first wicket.
Simmons was in a vintage mood as he drove and cut the Guyanese bowlers with authority.
He began the run chase by driving Crandon through extra cover for four and later, reverse swept Veerasammy Permaul for another boundary to wide third man.
He reached is 50 with a pugnacious drive off Permaul through the cover area and counted six fours from the 55 balls he faced.
Barath, not to be outdone, got into the act pulling Crandon over long leg for six and then cut the very next delivery over gully for four.
But Permaul broke the partnership by removing Simmons via the lbw route for 62 with the score on 102.
He struck seven fours from the 73 balls he faced during his 83 minutes of batting.
His demise brought Lara to the wicket and the former West Indies captain did not disappoint.
He dispatched his second ball he faced from Ramnaresh Sarwan through midwicket for four and also struck Zaheer Mohammed over long off for six into the Sir Leary Constantine stand where the ball got stuck in the gutter.
The 18-year-old Permaul was also roughed up by the double world record holder who dispatched him into the first tier of the Jeffrey Stollmeyer stand.
Barath, who was on 32 when Lara strode to the wicket, was a mere onlooker as Lara conducted his batting lesson at the other end, but reached his 50 when he steered fast bowler Brandon Bess to third man for four.
It took him 116 minutes to get there and he faced 68 balls hitting two fours, one five and a six in the process.
Lara continued to plunder the bowling of Permaul as he struck him back over his head and into the members’ pavilion for six. He reached his 50 when he steered Leon Johnson past the diving Fudadin at first slip for four, realizing his team’s victory in the process as Trinidad ended on 185-1 to win by nine wickets.
Lara finished unbeaten on 53 from 27 balls hitting six fours and three sixes while Barath was unbeaten on 57 from 78 balls.
He struck seven fours and one six during his 126- minute vigil.
Earlier, Guyana resuming on their overnight score of 128-4, with Sarwan on 31and Assad Fudadin yet to open his account, lost three quick wickets within the first hour of play before being bowled out for 249.
First to go was Fudadin who was caught by Reyad Emrit at extra cover off Jaggernauth for 18. He faced 48 balls and struck three fours during his 70 minutes at the wicket adding 62 valuable runs with Sarwan for the fifth wicket.
Sarwan continued to offer resistance to the pace/spin attack employed by the Trinidadians as he stretched his team further into the lead. He brought up his 50 with a straight drive off Jaggernauth to mid on. He faced 74 balls and struck six fours, taking 110 minutes to get there.
After the demise of Fudadin, the Guyana and West Indies captain saw Derwin Christian lose his wicket when he was caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Kelly for two, as he swept at a delivery from Jaggernauth.
Esaun Crandon joined Sarwan and saw the 200 posted during a 21-run partnership but soon departed caught by wicket-keeper Gibran Mohammed also off Jaggernauth for 13. He faced 26 balls and batted for 24 minutes hitting one four and a five.
At 209-7 the only excitement left for the Guyanese was their captain attaining his seventh regional first class hundred and second against Trinidad.
He struck Jaggernauth back over his head for six and when Rampaul over pitched one, he was dispatched with disdain through the extra cover area for four.
Sarwan and Mohammed added 20 runs for the eighth wicket, before Jaggernauth induced Mohammed to pull a short delivery straight to substitute fielder Justin Guillien at backward square.
He made eight from 13 balls and struck one six off Jaggernauth during his 21 minutes stay at the wicket.
It was 229-8 when he departed and Sarwan was on 90.
But Permaul stayed around long enough for his captain to raise his 100 with a well timed drive off Jaggernauth.
He faced 131 balls, struck 11 fours and batted for 211 minutes.
There were two interruptions for rain in the Guyana innings and three more interruptions during the Trinidad second innings.
Sarwan was left high and dry on 105 which came from 142 balls and in 224 minutes. He struck 12 fours and one six.
For his first innings 123 and unbeaten 53 in the second Lara was given the Man-of-the-Match award.
