Daren Bravo reminded selectors of his quality with a high-class unbeaten fifty but rain had the final say, forcing a no-result in the opening game of the Regional Super50 Cup yesterday.
Sent in at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force rallied to 246 for four after their game against Combined Campuses and Colleges was reduced to 44 overs per side due to rain, the 34-year-old Bravo top-scoring with an unbeaten 81 from 84 deliveries.
Vice-captain and Test gloveman Joshua Da Silva supported with 48 from 50 balls while Jason Mohammed struck 43 from 61 balls and Yannic Cariah, an unbeaten 31 from 38 deliveries.
The rain, which stalled the back end of the Red Force innings, then returned to hamper CCC’s run chase, with the Shane Dowrich-led unit well placed at 53 without loss in the seventh over.
Kadeem Alleyne raced to a 17-ball 27 with four fours and a six while Johann Jeremiah struck 25 from 23 balls with four fours before the downpour ended the contest prematurely.
Red Force made a stuttering start when they lost Tion Webster in the third over, tapping a wide half-volley from fast bowler Chemar Holder to point with the score on six.
However, Da Silva counter-attacked after arriving at number three, lashing nine fours to dominate a 59-run, second wicket stand with Kjorn Ottley who made 16 before driving a wide ball from seamer Alleyne to be taken at cover.
Bravo entered the fray to post 26 for the third wicket with Da Silva before putting on a further 88 for the fourth wicket with Mohammed and 66 in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership with Cariah.
The left-handed Bravo counted eight fours and two sixes in posting his 40th List A half-century while Mohammed was steady, hitting four fours and a six during the partnership.
Once Mohammed pulled a rank long hop from leg-spinner Abhijai Mansingh and was taken by Shaqkere Parris leaping on the ropes at midwicket, Cariah kept the momentum with a breezy innings laced with three fours.
Guyana Harpy Eagles clinch thriller against Windward Islands Volcanoes
In the second game of the opening day, the Guyana Harpy Eagles beat the Windward Islands Volcano by 10 runs at the Brian Lara Stadium.
Harpy Eagles scored 229 for nine off their 50 overs thanks to identical scores of 41 from Kevin Sinclair and Tevin Imlach, as well as a pair of 29s from Gudakesh Motie and Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
The Volcanoes were competitive with the ball on the back of Ryan John’s 4-60 and Shadrack Descarte’s 2-25.
However, they failed with the bat despite half-centuries from the in-form Alick Athaaze (75) and Andre Fletcher (52 not out).
The Volcanoes’ destruction would come from Romario Shepherd, who bagged 3-35, as well as Kevin Sinclair (2-42) and Nial Smith (2-43).
Today, defending champions, Jamaica Scorpions, bow into action against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. (CMC)