Roshon Primus played the List A game of his life in a bid to get Barbados Pride into the final of the CG Insurance Super50 Cup tonight. But in the end, his unbeaten 130 fell short as the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force won their semi-final day/night match by 10 runs at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, North Sound, Antigua.
Sent into bat by Barbados Pride captain Shai Hope, the Red Force overcame a shaky start to destroy the Pride bowling attack en route to this year’s tournament highest total of 312 for six. In reply, the Pride lost wickets at inopportune times and slumped to 146 for 6 in the 30th over before Primus hit 10 boundaries and nine sixes in 79 balls of carnage to breathe life into Barbados’ reply. A 93-run 7th partnership with fast bowler Akeem Jordan (33) looked to be taking Barbados close to a remarkable victory. But then a brain fade from Jordan that led to him being dismissed by wicketkeeper Amir Jangoo trying to steal a single off a wide delivery undid much of the Pride’s efforts and they eventually finished at 302 for 8.
Central to the Red Force’s total was a magnificent 111 from their captain Nicholas Pooran, along with a strong contribution from opener Jangoo who made 81 off 114 balls with six boundaries and a six. The forgotten Darren Bravo, at least at international level, made 54 off 65 balls tallying seven boundaries and a six. West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein put the icing on the cake with a blistering 20-ball 42 with three boundaries and three sixes to close the innings.
This brutal knock was in stark contrast to the opening performances where the fast bowler Jordan was virtually unplayable. He consistently beat the batsmen of Jangoo and especially his fellow opener Kjorn Ottley, whose eight balls he faced was sheer torture. Jordan put him out of his misery with the eighth ball which he slotted behind wicketkeeper Hope for one. That was one run more than former West Indies batsman Jason Mohammed managed as Jordan bowled him before the first ball. That made the Red Force 2 to 2. But from there it was all uphill for the defending champions.
Jangoo was joined by Bravo in taking Mohammed’s wicket and they went on to add 92 to bring stability to the innings. Bravo was eventually thrown out by Shamar Springer on a trick catch at the boundary by Jomel Warrican. That wicket brought Pooran into the middle and the West Indies white-ball captain put the Barbados attack to the sword. He and Jangoo added 147 for the fourth wicket. They took the score in the 44th over when Jangoo was dismissed for 241.
Pooran was eventually dismissed by a Springer full toss in the 46th over, having hit five boundaries and eight sixes off 82 balls of scintillating hitting. Springer took 4 for 64 in nine overs to lead the charge but the best of the bowlers was undoubtedly Jordan who finished with 2 for 31 in his 10 overs. Spinners Camarie Boyce, Nicholas Kirton and Javed Leacock all went for less than five tons per over and were quite economical. Others took a hammer.
When the Pride batted, they were up against Shannon Gabriel, who bowled with some expressive pace and troubled all the batsmen. He promptly sent Zachary McCaskie back to the pavilion, caught at slip by Sunil Narine for 1. He then dismantled Kyle Hope’s stumps for four before he could get his bat anywhere near the ball and left the batsman with a bewildered look. . face Narine accounted for captain Shai Hope on 24 for a wicket, a crucial dismissal. Jonathan Carter made 45, his first games of any substance in this year’s tournament, and Kirton, a 31 top-35 initiative. But their dismissals in quick succession – Carter to Gabriel and Kirton to leg-spinner Yannic Cariah – looked to be the end. of the game for Barbados Pride.
But then came Primus, a very familiar face to Red Force, having played for them for many years in the past. He unleashed some breathtaking shots, which marked an inside-out back-footer over the sixth cover that left commentators and spectators alike gasping. In the end, he lost a lot of batting over the last three overs and with 18 runs required in the last over bowled by the impressive Gabriel (4 for 43), he just couldn’t get Barbados over the line. That Primus gave Red Force a scare was exemplified by most of them patting him on the back and trying to comfort him as he sat in the middle, disappointed that his fine performances would not take Barbados Pride to the finals.
(WG)
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