Bowlers put Trinidad on top

Leeward Islands 155 for 8 v Trinidad & Tobago
Scorecard

Disciplined bowling from Trinidad and Tobago aided by some indifferent batting restricted the Leeward Islands to a modest 155 for 8 on the second day of their severely rain-affected second-round match in the 2005-06 Carib Beer Series at Webster Park. Rayad Emrit along with spinners Dave Mohammed and Sherwin Ganga collected two scalps apiece, after the Leewards elected to bat in a match which has lost a day and a session due to rain and soggy conditions.

Leewards batsmen Shane Jeffers, Austin Richards Jr, Runako Morton and Tonito Willett all got starts, but failed to carry on. Openers Jeffers and Richards began by mixing the occasional aggression with some watchful defense, but both left-handers had strokes of luck. Jeffers, on 31, got half-way into an attempted hook off a Mervyn Dillon bouncer, but the resulting top-edge flew high over the head of Gibran Mohammed, the wicketkeeper. Richards edged a drive off medium-fast bowler Richard Kelly, but the ball dropped just short of Daren Ganga at second slip.

In their 47-run opening stand, however, they both executed some attractive drives, but Kelly made the breakthrough when he had Jeffers caught at square leg for 31 playing a tame hook. Richards, who was then joined by Morton, had to endure some chin music from Dillon and Kelly, before eventually succumbing to the persevering medium pace of Emrit, caught behind for 28.

The home team were dealt a further blow just before tea, when left-arm unorthodox spin bowler Mohammed bowled Sylvester Joseph, the Leewards captain, for 2, playing an ill-advised pull. At tea, Leewards were 76 for 3, and T&T sustained the pressure in the final session.

Emrit deceived Morton with a slower delivery that cut back and bowled the batsman off the inside edge for 23 and Leewards were 106 for 4. Two wickets - Willett for 24 and Cornwall for 4 - fell in quick succession to leave Leewards on 116 for 6. Willett, sweeping once too often to a full-length delivery from Mohammed, was trapped lbw and Cornwall, heaving at Sherwin Ganga's offspin, was bowled. Carl Simon failed to trouble the scorers, edging Sherwin Ganga to slip.

When bad light stopped play with five overs left, Omari Banks was not out on 26, with Alderman Lesmond on 2.