SPORTS
Come on Beckles
“CRICKET was the loser.”
This was the emotional response of a TT Red Force staff member when asked to respond to the dubious tactics used by Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) to grab a nil result against TT in the CG United Super50 Cup, at Queen’s Park. Oval in St Clair on Monday.
The Red Force were 74/1 after 15 overs, chasing 201 for victory, when rain halted play for three hours.
After the rain delay, the Red Force were set a revised target of 115 in 26 overs. Play resumed at 5pm with the light already fading.
Following the revised score, TT’s winning attack was blocked by CCC, who bowled just 3.5 overs in 35 minutes.
The referees canceled the game due to bad light at 17:35. The Red Force were able to reach 97/1 in just 18.5 overs.
A second batting team must face at least 20 overs before using the Duckworth-Lewis method.
In many cases, the CCC bowlers were almost on their delivery steps when they stopped. Jason Mohammed, who was clashing with Kjorn Ottley, was visibly frustrated, gesturing at his opponent.
In another incident, a KKK player fell to the ground while coming out near the boundary and one of the team’s coaches came on the field, which caused a further delay.
CCC, captained by Trinidadian Denesh Ramdin, also played four of their five wides when play resumed at 5pm.
At the Brian Lara Pavilion, the TT players were clearly unhappy with what was happening on the field.
Another point of contention after the match was how the umpires determined that 11 overs could have been completed when play resumed at 5pm. At this time of year in Trinidad, natural light begins to fade shortly after 5:00 p.m.
After four matches, the Red Force now have two wins, one loss and one draw.
CCC, batting first, were steady at the top of the order reaching 70/1 in the 19th over, led by former West Indies U-19 player Kirstan Kallicharan.
The Red Force hit back as Navin Bidaisee (17) and Kallicharan (37) fell in consecutive overs to leave CCC 72/3 in the 20th over.
Spin did the trick for the Red Force as West Indies leg-spinner Yannic Cariah dismissed Bidaisee and off-spinner Mohammed removed Kallicharan.
Experienced Ramdin and Zavier Burton got an answer. The pair put on 35 runs for the fourth wicket but the Red Force bowlers kept the boundaries to a minimum.
The Red Force, for the second time in a row, took wickets in consecutive overs.
Burton were bowled leg-first to medium-pacer Terrance Hinds for 23 off 33 balls and leg-spinner Imran Khan removed Ramdi for 12.
CCC were now 107/5 in the 29th over and desperate for a partnership.
Odain McCatty and Matthew Forde replied for CCC with both players attacking the Red Force bowlers.
In the 37th over, CCC passed 150 as Khan revealed 12 runs in the over.
McCatty hit a longer six and Forde pulled a short delivery for four over the mid-on fence.
After McCatty and Forde recounted their partnership of 50 years, Khan had the last laugh.
In the 39th over, Khan dismissed Forde and McCatty. Forde was out earlier for 25 and McCatty was caught at mid-wicket by Ottley for 28.
CCC could only muster 33 runs in the last ten overs as the students were all out for 200 in exactly 50 overs.
Khan was the most successful bowler for the Red Force grabbing 4/53 in ten overs. Hinds took 2/18 in seven overs, Mohamed grabbed 2/19 in seven overs and Cariah took 2/37 in ten overs.
Openers Joshua Da Silva and Ottley gave the Red Force an entertaining start with attractive shots.
In the fourth over, speedster Michail Powell produced a sharp chance to give Ottley life. At the same end, Ottley punished CCC, curling in a full-on delivery that found the rope. Ottley hit two fours down the leg side before the over ended as the Red Force progressed to 25/0 after four overs.
One of the hits of the day was a late cut from Da Silva to the third-man fence for four off spinner Romario Greaves.
Goodridge got the breakthrough when Da Silva was bowled for 22 off 34 balls attempting a big shot.
Shortly after Mohammed joined Ottley, the players walked off the pitch due to rain.
SUMMARY POSITIONS;
CCC 200 (50 caps) – Kirstan Kallicharan 37, Odain McCatty 28; Imran Khan 4/53, Terrance Hinds 2/18, Jason Mohammed 2/19, Yannic Cariah 2/37 vs TT RED FORCE 97/1 (18.5 overs) (revised target 115 in 26 overs) – Kjorn Ottley 43 not out, Jason Muhamedi 23 has not come out. No result
