Showing that their recent stint in Bangladesh was worthwhile, Evin Lewis and Rayad Emrit guided T&T Red Force to a fighting score of 221 in their opening match of the 2016 Nagico Super50 series at the Queen’s Park Oval against the Jamaica Scorpions yesterday.
Opting to bat first, Red Force got a good start with Lewis and Kyle Hope putting on 38. Lewis delighted the handful of fans with his strokeplay, mixing aggression with defence.
He lost Hope (16) but continued to take the attack to the visitors and reached his half century off 43 balls. He lost Narsingh Deonarine (6) and skipper Jason Mohammed (4) in quick succession. as the Jamaican spinners, led by Nikita Miller and Damian Jacobs came into their own.
A number of soft dismissals were the order of the afternoon and even Lewis, after playing a flawless knock, gave his wicket away. He played leg-spinner Jacobs to point to end his contribution.
He left with his team wobbling at 119 - 6, but Rayad Emrit and Akeal Hosein added 59 for the seventh wicket. Just as the Red Force was regaining control, Hosein (23) advanced down the track and was stumped. Emrit found an able ally in Marlon Richards (31) to take Red Force past 200. Emrit was finally dismissed for 43 of 51 balls with three fours and a six.
In the other match, Barbados Pride enjoyed a four-wicket win over the ICC Americas
Scores
ICC Americas vs Barbados Pride
ICC Americas 183 All Out (43.1 Overs) (Alex Amsterdam 73, N Kumar 25, S Taylor 17, T Patel 12, Sulieman Benn 4/40, Ashley Nurse 3/23, J Greaves 2/19) vs Barbados Pride 184/6 (42.5 Overs) (Jonathan Carter 55 no, Kevin Stoute 40 no, J Greaves 23, K Williams 21, T Patel 2/30, T Allen 2/36)
Barbados Pride won by 4 wickets
Sulieman Benn Man of the Match
Scoreboard
Red Force vs Scorpions
Red Force
K Hope c McCarthy b Cottrell 16
E Lewis c McCarthy b Jacobs 74
N Deonarine c Miller b Mindley 6
J Mohammed lbw Jacobs 4
K Ottley b Miller 5
A Hosein st Thomas b Jacobs 23
S Katwaroo b Miller 0
R Emrit c Cottrell b Campbell 43
M Richards c Thomas b Lambert 31
J Jaggessar lbw Lambert 2
P Williams not out 0
Extras lb5, w10 15
Total all out (47.2ovs) 221
Fall of wkts: 38, 80, 114, 118, 119, 178, 203, 209, 221.
Bowling: S Cottrell 5-0-21-1,
M Mindley 7-0-40-1, N Miller 10-1-27-2, J Campbell 6-0-37-1, D Jacobs 10-1-40-3, D Thomas 2-0-17-0, J Campbell 7.2-0-34-2.