T&T U-17s make winning start
The T&T Under-17 cricketers made an excellent start to the WICB Regional U-17 tournament, when they took care of Barbados by five wickets at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba.
A fine all round performance from Naparima College student Avinash Mahabirsingh took T&T home after an initial stutter in their run chase. Spinner Mahabirsingh grabbed 2/36 of his 10 overs, to restrict Barbados to 169 all out in 46.3 overs. T&T lost four wickets with 76 runs on the board but Mahabirsingh formed a fruitful association with Leonardo Julien to take T&T to the brink of victory. Wicketkeeper Julien was dismissed with the score at 144 but Mahabirsingh stayed to the end to ensure the win. Julien topscored with 41 of 43 balls with six fours and a six. Mahabirsingh remained unbeaten on 35 of 69 balls with five fours. L James finished the match with a flurry of sixes scoring 15 of 19 balls with two maximums.
Earlier, the Barbadians started well against the local fast bowlers with openers N Reifer and R Worrell posting 49 runs for the first wicket. T&T skipper Mbeki Joseph then introduced his spinners and from that point things went downhill on a slow track. Mahabirsingh grabbed two wickets, as did A Ali, S Ali and L Francis. Topscoring for Barbados was J Jordan with 33 of 38 balls with two fours and two sixes. Reifer chipped in with 30 of 52 balls with three fours and a six and A Morris notched 26.
The T&T boys will take a break tomorrow before action resumes Thursday when they face Jamaica at Gilbert Park in California.
SCOREBOARD
T&T vs Barbados
Barbados inns
N Reifer c & b N Ali*30
R Worrell c Ali b Mahabirsingh*26
D Richards st Julien b Ali*17
A Morris c Mahabirsingh b Francis*26
J Jordan c Forester b S Ali*33
Z Zlarke c Joseph b S Ali*9
M Forde c Julien b Francis*12
S Persaud c Joseph b Mahabirsingh*2
R Headley run out*2
J Blades run out*4
R Simmonds not out*0
Extras 1b, 6w, 1nb*8
Total all out*169
Fall of wkts: 49, 75, 80, 127, 142, 148, 154, 161, 165, 169.
Bowling: J Seales 3.3-1-19-0, R Forrester 4-0-27-0, A Mahabirsingh 10-2-36-2, N Ali 10-2-22-2, S Ali 10-0-49-2, L Francis 9-1-15-2.
T&T inns
L Francis b S Persaud*28
M Joseph c Richards b R Simmons*5
M Ambard lbw R Simmons*2
T Mohammed c Worrell b Headley*15
L Julien c Richards b Forde*41
A Mahabirsingh not out*35
J James not out*15
Extras 4b, 4lb, 21w*29
Total for 5 wkts*170
Fall of wkts:16, 32, 72, 76, 144.
Bowling: R Simmons 8.3-1-26-2, M Forde 10-1-30-1, J Blades 5-2-22-0, R Worrell 3-0-19-0, S Persaud 8-1-19-1, R Headley 8-1-39-1, Z Clarke 8-1-39-1, Z Clarke 1-0-7-0.
Result: T&T won by 5 wkts.
