PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidadian Lendl Simmons, repeatedly overlooked by West Indies selectors in recent months, warmed up for the regional Twenty20 tournament with a cameo in trials on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old right-hander cracked 45 from 36 balls to help Jason Mohammed XI to a 14-run victory over a Gibran Mohammed XI in at UWI St Augustine.
He slammed three fours and three sixes to help lift his side to 137 for seven in their 20 overs, with national skipper Daren Ganga getting 27 and Jason Mohammed, 28.
Kervon Cooper then stroked an entertaining 31-ball 44 but failed to find support as the innings crashed to 123 all out, with the last six wickets falling for just 16 runs.
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Jason Mohammed’s side had a rough start losing opener William Perkins without scoring with the score on five.
He was soon followed by West Indies A batsman Justin Guillen but Jason Mohammed helped to steady the innings with Simmons before the flashy opener was bowled by Cooper.
Discarded West Indies off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth (2-13) and fast bowler Navin Stewart (2-43) were the pick of the Gibran Mohammed XI bowlers.
In reply, Mohammed and Sunil Narine, picked up three wickets for six runs each, to deny Gibran Mohammed’s side.
West Indies opener Adrian Barath was bowled by Richard Kelly off the first ball of the innings and Nicholas Sookdeosingh (29) and Sherwin Ganga (14) attempted to consolidate the innings, before everything collapsed.
