KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Rain and defiant batting led by their captain Denesh Ramdin came to the rescue of Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and earned them a draw with Jamaica Scorpions in the Regional 4-Day Champ-ionship on Sunday.
Ramdin was unbeaten on 52 and shared a crucial fifth-wicket stand with Tion Webster that carried the Red Force to 162 for six when rain stopped play about six minutes after tea on the final day of their sixth-round match at Sabina Park.
Red Force – starting the day still 271 in arrears – were reeling on 62 for four, but Webster came to the crease and shared 58 with Ramdin to stem the fall of wickets before he was stumped off leg-spinner Damion Jacobs for 30.
Ramdin was also involved in another defiant stand with veteran Imran Khan that had yielded 40 when the rain came and saved the Red Force from defeat.
The result meant that Scorpions – starting the match in third on 55 points – gained 12.6 points. This included three for the result, the maximum five batting points, after reaching 432 for five at the 110-over threshold in their first innings, in addition to three bowling points and 1.6 pace bowling points.
Red Force – entering the match second on 61.8 points – earned 5.8 points. They collected three for the result, as well as one batting point, one bowling point and 0.8 pace bowling points.
Starting the day on 21 for one, Red Force suffered an almost immediate setback, when Reynard Leveridge bowled Yannic Cariah for a duck in the second over without addition to the overnight total.
For the next 40 minutes, Ewart Nicholson came to the crease and defied the Scorpions’ attack with left-handed opener Jeremy Solozano before he was caught close to the wicket off Odean Smith for 17.
Solozano continued the fight for another 10 overs before he fell for 23, giving part-time off-spinner John Campbell a return catch.
For a shade over an hour, Ramdin and Webster held the Scorpions bowlers at bay, but two wickets in the space of seven balls left Red Force woozy.
Webster was dismissed and Leveridge bowled Roshon Primus for one, leaving Red Force 123 for six, but Khan arrived and with Ramdin further frustrated the Scorpions for close to an hour and a half either side of tea before the weather brought play to a halt.
In the next round, the final match before the long Christmmas/New Year’s holiday break, Red Force host Barbados Pride in a renewal of their fierce rivalry at the Brian Lara Cricket Ground in Trinidad and Windward Islands Volcanoes welcome Scorpions to the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia for a day/night affair.
