TAROUBA, Trinidad – In-form Yannic Cariah produced yet another excellent all-round effort to guide Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to a nervy three-wicket win over Leeward Islands Hurricanes, and keep their unblemished record intact here Thursday night.
Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph sends down a delivery during his aggressive three-wicket haul against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on Thursday night. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)Arriving at the crease with the hosts in deep trouble at 44 for four in the 14th over in pursuit of 199 for victory, the left-handed Cariah punched a controlled unbeaten 45 off 102 deliveries, as Red Force notched their third win in four games to return to the summit of the Super50 Cup standings with 30 points.
Cariah, yet to be dismissed in the tournament following scores of 71 not out and 31 not out, anchored three critical partnerships – a 65-run, fifth wicket stand with Jason Mohammed (41), a 36-run, seventh wicket stand with Terrance Hinds (21) and a 43-run, unbroken eighth wicket stand with Sunil Narine.
Mohammed struck five fours in a breezy 49-ball knock while Hinds, already with a first class hundred to his name, lashed three fours in a 17-ball knock.
For his part, veteran Narine counter-attacked brilliantly in a 17-ball cameo which included a four and four sixes and which killed off Hurricanes’ hopes of a comeback.
Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh (3-32) and fast-bowling captain Alzarri Joseph (3-45) were both outstanding with three wicket hauls.
“We got off to a shaky start. I thought they bowled well, they were aggressive to us [and] I thought we didn’t really play that situation well,” said captain Darren Bravo.
“But having said that, Yannic again played an extremely brilliant innings, Terrance at the back end he came and played a little blinder and Sunil basically showed his experience in the end.
“It wasn’t a clinical performance but at the end of the day we came out on top which is the most important thing.”
In contrast to his explosive half-century against Guyana Harpy Eagles last week, Cariah counted a single four and a six, and narrowly missed out scoring a fifty and taking five wickets for the second straight game.
“I try my best to play the situation of the game. Whatever the team requires from me in that point in time, I make up mind to try and go as deep as possible,” said the 31-year-old Cariah, who has played 13 internationals for West Indies.
“I think the situation today was for us to win this game, I needed to bat straight through until we got the 199 runs so my mind wasn’t to be aggressive … today I was more laid back, trying to get the ones and twos, just respecting the good balls … and we won today.”
Openers Kieran Powell (75) and Justin Greaves (58) had earlier lit up the Brian Lara Stadium in an opening stand of 110 before the innings collapsed spectacularly for 198 in the 38th over, undermined by Cariah’s five for 48 from ten overs of leg-spin.
The left-handed Powell blasted five fours and half-dozen sixes off just 48 deliveries while Greaves struck four fours in a 71-ball knock, as Hurricanes flourished after being sent in.
However, once Cariah bowled Powell in the 15th over with the third ball of his spell, Hurricanes lost their last nine wickets for 85 runs, with off-spinner Narine picking up three for 30.
“I don’t think it (batting) was reckless,” Joseph said afterwards.
“I just think we didn’t play the situation properly. [We had] a few soft dismissals but at the end of the day we had [a total] to defend and we just couldn’t get over the line.
“I think it was a really good effort. We took it right down to the end. I can’t really fault the boys for their effort.”
The defeat was Hurricanes’ second, leaving them second on 25 points.
