At Warner Park in St Kitts, – The struggling Leeward Islands slumped to 133 for six at the close on the first day of their contest against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, the Caribbean Media Corporation reported yesterday.
Sent in, the hosts lost wickets in clusters and opener Austin Richards and top-order batsman Akeem Saunders carried the fight for their side with joint top scores of 34.
Leg-spinner Imran Khan finished with three for 47.
Things appeared to be going well for the Leewards when Richards and Lyndell Richardson (18) put on 49 for the first wicket.
Richards faced 58 balls in an hour-and-a-half at the crease with four fours and a six while Richardson three fours in an innings lasting 38 balls, before falling via the run out route.
Three wickets fell for just 19 runs to leave the Leewards on 69 for three but Saunders and captain Devon Thomas, who got 24, came to their side’s rescue in a 50-wicket fourth wicket stand.
Saunders, a 20-year-old right-hander, batted nearly 1-3/4 hours and faced 99 balls, striking one four and a six while Thomas hit three fours in an innings lasting 65 balls and 83 minutes.
However, both batsmen fell in successive overs with the score on 118 and when Jahmar Hamilton was out for nine to give Imran Khan his third wicket, the Leewards had lost three wickets for ten runs.
Scoreboard
LEEWARDS FRANCHISE
A Richards Jr c Simmons b Khan 34
L Richardson run out 18
A Saunders st Pooran b Khan 34
O Peters b Richards 4
*+D Thomas c wkp Pooran b Gabriel 24
J Hamilton c Emrit b Khan 9
J Taylor not out 6
J Louis not out 0
Extras (b2, nb1) 4
TOTAL (6 wkts, 55 overs) 133
To bat: G Tonge, A Martin, Y Leonard.
Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-67, 3-68, 4-118, 5-118, 6-128.
Bowling: Gabriel 9-4-18-1, Richards 8-1-26-1, Hosein 12-4-25-0, Imran Khan 19-5-47-3, Emrit 7-2-15-0.
T&T RED FORCE – R Emrit, D Ramdin, L Simmons, E Lewis, N Pooran, Y Ottley, Y Cariah, J Mohammed, A Hosein, M Richards, S Gabriel.
Toss: Trinidad & Tobago.
Umpires: Nigel Duguid, Patrick Gustard.
