PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago smashed 14 runs off the last over to beat Barbados by five wickets and keep their archrivals winless in the Caribbean vs Asia Twenty20 tournament here Friday night.
Chasing a challenging 155 for victory, T&T got home off the last ball of the night when Navin Stewart cleared the infield with a big hit to the backward point boundary, to spark celebrations at Queen’s Park Oval.
Barbados, winning the toss and batting, made 154 for five with West Indies A left-hander Jonathan Carter stroking 54 and Under-19 captain Shai Hope getting a run-a-ball 37.
Former West Indies Under-19 batsman Evin Lewis then put T&T on course for victory with a top score of 69 but they were still short at the start of the last over. Captain Rayad Emrit hoisted the first ball from medium pacer Jonathan Carter over fine leg for six, leaving T&T with just eight to get from five deliveries.
He scrambled a single of the next delivery and Stewart then wisely got the next three balls away for twos, to leave the scores level. With all the fielders brought in to save the single, Stewart successfully went aerial to clinch a dramatic victory for the hosts.
Left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds was the best bowler with two for 27 from his four overs.
Barbados had earlier claimed William Perkins for seven in the third over with the score on 15, to make a strong start to the defence of their total. However, Lewis then anchored two successive half-century stands, to take the advantage away from Barbados.
The left-hander, who faced 59 balls and hit five fours and two sixes, put on 68 for the second wicket with West Indies batsman Adrian Barath who scored 32 from 28 balls. He added a further 54 for the third wicket with West Indies A batsman Justin Guillen (16).
Barbados’ total was centred around Carter’s innings, which came off 36 balls and included four fours and two sixes. With the Barbadians tottering at 48 for three in the tenth over, Carter and Hope combined in an up tempo 81-run fourth wicket partnership which transformed the innings.
