TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Test left-hander Darren Bravo carved out his 12th first class hundred as Trinidad and Tobago took firm command of their second round encounter against Leeward Islands Hurricanes here yesterday.
Resuming the second day on 36, the 30-year-old hit a polished 133 to propel Red Force to 337 for four at the close at the Brian Lara Stadium – a lead of 151 runs heading into Saturday’s third day.
Bravo faced 227 deliveries in 5-½ hours and struck 14 fours and three sixes. He featured in nearly every major partnership of the innings, putting on 75 for the second wicket with Keagan Simmons (36), adding 160 with Jason Mohammed who made 66 before combining in a 34-run, fourth wicket stand with Joshua DaSilva, who was unbeaten on exactly 50.
With a half-century in the previous round and nearly 500 runs in last November’s Super50 Cup, the innings was yet another confirmation of the player’s return to top form.
Resuming on 74 for one, T&T suffered an early blow when Simmons departed in the second over of the morning, brilliantly caught at square leg by Trinidadian Amir Jangoo off lively seamer Sheeno Berridge who finished with three for 63.
However, Mohammed joined Bravo to dominate the Hurricanes attack and take Red Force to lunch on 175 for two.
Mohammed, who faced 132 balls in just over 2-¾ hours and counted eight fours, eventually departed when he drove uppishly at off-spinner Jacques Taylor and was taken at cover but the 21-year-old DaSilva then featured in two partnerships to keep Red Force in the driver’s seat.
His stand with Bravo was relatively short-lived – Bravo perishing lbw to Berridge – but he then put on 65 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with Yannic Cariah (27 not out) as Red Force dominated the final session.
DaSilva, who scored his maiden hundred in the last round, has so far struck six fours off 88 balls.
