Sports
Jonathan Ramnanansingh
Trinidad and Tobago Legions are well set to make the playoffs after toppling Jamaica Titans by six wickets in the West Indies Breakout League T20 dominance, at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on April 30.
The Joshua Da Silva-captained unit notched their third win on the trot and remain unbeaten, despite having in-form fast bowler Joshua James suspended from bowling by Cricket West Indies (CWI), just hours before the match got under way.
The Titans, batting first, posted 127/8, to which the TT Legions responded with 130/4 from 18.3 overs.
Jamaica’s middle-order batsman Zion Brathwaite (37) and opener Leroy Lugg (30) were the main contributors with the bat as the Legions’ bowling attack proved a handful even in the absence of James.
Lugg and fellow opener Kirk McKenzie (four) put on a combined 18 runs before pacer Johann Layne had the latter caught by Mikkel Govia on the boundary. Jordan Johnson (four) perished soon after as Deethmar Anderson (11) joined Lugg to frame a 23-run stance.
TT leg-spinner Navin Bidaisee broke the partnership as Anderson was caught on the ropes by Govia, restricting them to 55/3 after eight overs. New batsman Andrew Rambaran returned to the stands without facing a ball as he was run out off the next ball.
Lugg was caught by James off McKenny Clarke, and six runs later, Titans skipper Ramaal Lewis was caught behind by Da Silva from a Shaaron Lewis delivery.
At 66/6, Brathwaite brought some stability to the innings with 37 from 30 balls, inclusive of two sixes and two fours. Reon Edwards (15 not out) and Jeavor Royal (12) added important runs to their total in the lower order.
Legions fast bowler McKenny Clarke (2/14), spinner Bidaisee (2/19) and pacer Johann Layne (2/27) were among the wickets.
Set 128 for victory, Da Silva drove Royal along the ground for four in the first ball of the second over to. Jangoo then flicked Reon Edwards for four off the front foot, but drove uncontrollably off the next ball, and was sent packing for seven, caught by Royal.
New batsman Cephas Cooper (six) didn’t last long as Rambaran had him play into the hands of McKenzie at long off.
Da Silva tried to right his ship and played shots around the ground to keep the scoring ticking. He and Kamil Pooran (45) built a nice 31-run partnership to carry TT to 57, before Da Silva was dismissed for 31, caught by Lewis off Rambaran.
Bidaisee (29 not out) joined Pooran in the middle and the pair did the lion’s share of work, combining for a 64-run stance, as they guided TT within sight of victory.
On 67/3 after ten overs, and needing 61 from 60 balls, Pooran and Bidaisee chipped away at the target, punishing the bad balls. They cruised to 121 runs before Pooran was stumped by Anderson off Royal for 45.
Jyd Goolie (three not out) and Bidaisee took the Legions across the line.
The result cement TT atop the six-team standings on 24 points. Windward Islands Infernos remain a distant second with eight points while Barbados Pelicans are third, also on eight points.
Skipper Da Silva was elated to secure their win but said they fell short in some aspects of their game.
“(It’s) really good to get another victory. We still have some stuff to work on. We’re not peaking too early, which is good, but we’re still also winning games and getting points on the board, which is important. We wanted to bowl first and hoping we could have kept them under that par score of 160 which seems to be a good total at this ground.
“Our ground fielding in this game was not too great, so we can work on that. The power play, still not happy at all with how we get through the power play, losing too many wickets,” he said.
Man-of-the-match Bidaisee was pleased to contribute with both bat and ball.
“I always back myself in bowling, batting and in the field. It’s always needed and wanted in this format so I just try to stay on top of my game. My strengths would be keeping it simple and consistent, and also varying my pace.
“I’ve been trying to spin the ball as well on a big stage like this. Mainly just keep it consistent, bowl dots and try to do the job for the team,” he said.
Additionally, Pooran, who played the first game, was dropped for the second, and made an impression in the third, said he used time in between the second and third matches to sharpen up.
On missing out on the final eleven in match two, he said, “It brought me back stronger. After being dropped in the second game, this few days off, I went back and trained harder and knew I would get another opportunity. I was ready for this. It means a lot to me, confidence for the next game coming up, to train harder and keep working, it’s something behind my name.”
TT play their next fixture against Leeward Islands Thunder on May 2, from 7 pm. From 2 pm that day, Titans take on Pelicans.
Summarised Scores: JAMAICA TITANS 127/8 (20) – Zion Brathwaite 37, Leroy Lugg 30, Reon Edwards 15 not out; McKenny Clarke 2/14, Navin Bidaisee 2/19, Johann Layne 2/27 vs TRINIDAD & TOBAGO LEGIONS 130/4 (18.3) – Kamil Pooran 45, Joshua Da Silva 31, Navin Bidaisee 29 not out. TT Legions won by six wickets.
