Tion Webster

Having led the West Indies ‘A’ team on their tour to South Africa late last year, Da Silva isn’t new to the captaincy. However, he will have to also step up with the bat in the absence of Bravo, who was the leading batter for the Red Force last year.

Meanwhile, Bryan Charles was named vice-captain of the squad which includes fit-again pacers Jayden Seales and Terrance Hinds as well as veterans Imran Khan and Jason Mohammed.

T&T will open their campaign against defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles at Conaree Cricket Ground in St Kitts from February 7-10 before facing the West Indies Academy at the same venue from February 14-17.

T&T will complete their St Kitts leg of the tournament on February 21-24 against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Warner Park before returning to Trinidad for two matches in March at Queen’s Park Oval.

On March 13-16, T&T will face the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Oval before facing Barbados Pride at the same venue later that month.

The Red Force will then travel to Jamaica to face CCC from April 10-13 at Chedwin Park before ending their campaign against hosts Jamaica Scorpions from April 17-20 at Sabina Park.

The Red Force will leave for St Kitts on Sunday where they will play three matches starting next Wednesday.

RED FORCE SQUAD:

Joshua Da Silva (captain), Bryan Charles (vice-captain), Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Terrance Hinds, Jason Mohammed, Jyd Goolie, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Vikash Mohan, Cephas Cooper, Tion Webster, Khary Pierre.

Sebastien Edwards (manager), David Furlonge (coach), Rayad Emrit (assistant coach), Ruel Rigsby (physio), Shane Burnett (S&C coach).

Having seized control of the four-day encounter from day one, the Red Force, through a series of solid all-round batting and bowling performances, wrapped up proceedings and condemned the Volcanoes to their first loss of the season.

Resuming at 10-2 in search of another 176 runs for victory, Red Force lost night watchman Bryan Charles for four, and veteran batsman Jason Mohammed for 14, which left them in a spot of bother.

However, Goolie, who resumed from an overnight score of two, was watchful throughout in his unbeaten 90 off 212 balls, which includes nine fours. He led a decent fifth-wicket partnership with Da Silva to put Red Force on the cusp of victory, before retiring hurt.

From there, West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Da Silva pushed on in an unbeaten 96-ball 53, including six fours, to get his team across the line. Tion Webster, who made an unbeaten 107 in the first innings, only had a small role to play on this occasion, as he ended unbeaten on one run from four balls.

Four Volcanoes bowlers shared the wickets.

Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 191 (Alick Athanaze 56, Sunil Ambris 35, Kavem Hodge 28, Tevyn Walcott 28; Anderson Phillip 13-4-37-5, Khary Pierre 3-21, Jayden Seales 2-48) and 288 (Sunil Ambris 71, Jeremy Solozano 70, Shamar Springer 40, Ryan John 34, Alick Athanaze 28; Jayden Seales 3-45, Anderson Phillip 2-65, Khary Pierre 2-67, Bryan Charles 2-67).

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 294 (Tion Webster 107 not out, Jason Mohammed 56, Vikash Mohan 52, Kjorn Ottley 47; Kenneth Dember 22-2-63-5, Shamar Springer 3-76) and 186 for four (Jyd Goolie 90 retired hurt, Joshua Da Silva 53 not out).

Meanwhile, Guyana Harpy Eagles registered their second win of the campaign, as they better a gritty Barbados Pride by 32 runs in their contest at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 436 (Veerasammy Permaul 90, Kevlon Anderson 87, Kevin Sinclair 72, Tevin Imlach 55, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 40, Gudakesh Motie 37, Matthew Nandu 28; Kemar Roach 2-52, Jason Holder 2-52, Jomel Warrican 2-98) and 136 for eight declared (Kevlon Anderson 33, Kevin Sinclair 25, Veerasammy Permaul 24, Kemol Savory 22 not out, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 20; Jomel Warrican 3-32, Jair McAllister 2-21, Chemar Holder 2-40).

Barbados Pride 230 (Jonathan Drakes 101, Shane Dowrich 41; Nial Smith 3-54, Isai Thorne 2-37, Gudakesh Motie 2-38) and 309 all out (Zachary McCaskie 87, Jason Holder 76, Jomel Warrican 40 not out, Shane Dowrich 26, Kraigg Brathwaite 23; Niall Smith 4-87, Veerasammy Permaul 3-66, Gudakesh Motie 3-71).

Holder was the spearhead of the Barbados attack taking 5-71 as the Red Force were bundled out for 203 in 75-3 overs. At the close, Barbados were 40-0.

Jason Mohammed spared the Red Force blushes with his score of 55 but other than Tion Webster, who contributed 46 and Joshua Da Silva 32, the other batters failed to show. Darren Bravo who has two hundreds and a 95 in the competition so far managed only seven as Trinidad crawled to 76-3 from the first 33 overs.

Jair McAllister also got in on the wickets taking 3-31 as the hosts struggled to find runs.

At the close, Barbados trail by 163 runs with all wickets intact.

Zachary McCaskie is at the crease on 21 while Sheyne Moseley is unbeaten on 19 at the other end.

The Kings batted first after the Knight Riders won the toss and chose to field first.

Batsmen found it difficult to cope with some good bowling from the Knight Riders and St. Lucia found themselves 76-3 in the 13^th over at the fall of captain Roston Chase’s wicket for 19.

Quickly, 76-3 became 77-5 in the same over after Scott Kuggelijn (0) and Mark Deyal (35) were dismissed things looked very bleak.

Thankfully for the Kings, all-rounder Roshon Primus managed to score a crucial 25-ball 38 to help bring the score to a respectable 143-9 off their 20 overs.

The bulk of the damage with the ball was done by Akeal Hosein who took an excellent 4-13 from his four overs. Sunil Narine was also excellent with 1-21 from his four overs.

With the bat, the Knight Riders made it look easy in the end, reaching 148-7 off 19.2 overs for the win.

Tion Webster then set the foundation with a well-played 58 off 45 balls including six fours and three sixes. Tim Seifert also played a good hand with 34 against an excellent fighting spell of 4-17 off four overs from Alzarri Joseph.

At stumps, Jamaica following on after being bowled out for 125 in response to Trinidad’s 302, were 199-5, a lead of 22 with only five second-innings wickets in hand.

Jamaica has been poor this season and Thursday was no different. Resuming on 5-1, the Scorpions were skittled out for 125. They would not have made as much had it not been for their bowlers Derval Green (39) and Jeavor Royal (27) who shared in an eight-wicket stand of 62 that took the side from an embarrassing 50-7.

Tion Webster was the main destroyer taking 5-30 with Terrance Hinds backing him up with 3-40.

Following on 177 behind, Jamaica lost Tevin Gilzene for two but found some steel in the form of a second-wicket stand of 104 between opener Leroy Lugg and Jermaine Blackwood. Lugg eventually fell to the bowling of Anderson Phillip for 66.

Blackwood and Carlos Brown added 50 for the third wicket but then Brown was dismissed by Imran Khan for 16 to leave Jamaica on 162-3.

Blackwood fell to Bryan Charles for 68 as Jamaica slipped to 172-4. Brad Barnes went for 14 leaving Jamaica in further trouble at 191-5, a lead of only 14.

Abhijai Mansingh will resume on 10 and Aldane Thomas seven when play begins on Friday.

Phillip has so far taken 2-21 and Charles 2-68 for Trinidad and Tobago who will be looking to wrap up victory on the third day of play.

First at Sabina Park where the Pride had the Jamaica Scorpions reeling in their second innings at 220-8 off 63 overs at stumps, a lead of just 100 runs.

The Pride had earlier amassed 389 all out off 120 overs after starting the day 315-6. Kraigg Brathwaite, who entered Friday 129* wound up making 142 while Shane Dowrich finished with 44 after entering the day 19*.

Derval Green ended up with 4-78 off 31 overs while Peat Salmon picked up 3-94 from 34 overs for the hosts.

Jamaica’s second innings saw a number of batsmen get off to good starts but none were able to get a big score. Abhijai Mansingh has led the way with 54, his fourth first-class fifty, while Leroy Lugg (43), Kirk McKenzie (39) and Carlos Brown (35) also chipped in.

Debutant Shaquille Cumberbatch has led the charge with the ball for the Pride with 4-22 off nine overs while Kevin Wickham has picked up 2-26 from seven overs.

Full Scores: Jamaica Scorpions269 all out off 78.4 overs (Romaine Morris 97*, Carlos Brown 40, Kirk McKenzie 40, Jomel Warrican 5-62, Jair McAllister 3-69) & 220-8 off 63 overs (Abhijai Mansingh 54, Leroy Lugg 43, Kirk McKenzie 39, Carlos Brown 35, Shaquille Cumberbatch 4-22, Kevin Wickham 2-26)

Barbados Pride 389 all out off 120 overs(Kraigg Brathwaite 142, Kevin Wickham 63, Shane Dowrich 44, Jonathan Drakes 31, Derval Green 4-78, Peat Salmon 3-94)

Elsewhere in Jamaica, at Chedwin Park in St. Catherine to be exact, the Combined Campuses and Colleges ended day three 271-6 in their second innings, leading the Windward Islands Volcanoes by just 80 runs.

The Windwards, after entering Friday 359-8 off 100 overs, went on to post an imposing 395 all out off 105.4 overs in their first innings.

Kavem Hodge, who entered the day 131*, carried his bat through the innings on his way to a career best 158* off 251 balls including 16 fours and a six.

Romario Greaves ended up with 5-142 off 38 overs for the CCC.

With the bat, Jonathan Carter almost got his second century of the season, being dismissed for 94 to lead the CCC second innings scoring, so far.

Greaves, who is having a fine all-round showing, ended day three on 62* off 117 balls including five fours and two sixes.

Earlier, opener Damel Evelyn followed up his 43 in the first innings with 56 in the second.

Shamar Springer has taken 2-33 in 13 overs for the Volcanoes.

Full Scores:Combined Campuses & Colleges 204 all out off 71.3 overs (Demario Richards 46, Damel Evelyn 43, Darel Cyrus 6-72, Gilon Tyson 3-32) & 271-6 off 81 overs (Jonathan Carter 94, Romario Greaves 62*, Damel Evelyn 56, Shamar Springer 2-33)

Windward Islands Volcanoes 395 all out off 105.4 overs(Kavem Hodge 158*, Sunil Ambris 120, Romario Greaves 5-142, Jediah Blades 2-35, Govasta Edmond 2-54)

Moving to the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua where the defending champions, Guyana Harpy Eagles, are on the brink of a dominant victory over the West Indies Academy.

The Harpy Eagles entered Friday 165-5 off 65 overs, leading the Academy by 178 runs. They went on to pile up a massive 415-7 declared leaving the Academy needing a massive 429 to win.

Kevin Sinclair, the hero with the ball in the first innings, led the way with a magnificent 165* off 182 balls, his first century in first-class cricket, including 26 fours. Kemol Savory also batted well for a 68-ball 58 including eight fours and a six.

Ronaldo Ali Mohamed and Veerasammy Permaul also provided useful cameos at the end of the innings with 318 and 29*, respectively.

Ashmead Nedd was the pick of the bowlers for the Academy with 5-97 off 45 overs.

At stumps, the Academy reached 161-7 off 40 overs, needing a further 268 runs for victory on Saturday.

West Indies Under-19 representative Jordan Johnson led the way with 54 against 3-32 off eight overs from Isai Thorne, who also represented the West Indies at the recently concluded ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa. Sinclair has also picked up 2-30 from 11 overs in the second innings.

Full Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 175 all out off 54.3 overs (Ronaldo Ali Mohamed 30, Matthew Nandu 28, Joshua James 4-43, Johann Layne 2-27, Joshua Bishop 2-31) & 415-7 dec. off 112.1 overs (Kevin Sinclair 165*, Kemol Savory 58, Kevlon Anderson 49, Ashmead Nedd 5-97)

West Indies Academy 162 all out off 49 overs (Rashawn Worrell 58, Joshua Bishop 51, Kevin Sinclair 4-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-15, Gudakesh Motie 3-31) & 161-7 off 40 overs (Jordan Johnson 54, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 34, Isai Thorne 3-32, Kevin Sinclair 2-30)

Finally, we go to Warner Park in St. Kitts where the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force were 285-6 at stumps on day three, leading the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 104 runs.

The Red Force entered the day 48-0 off 18 overs replying to the Hurricanes first innings total of 318.

Jyd Goolie continued his good form with the bat this season with 64 to lead the Red Force charge so far.

Jason Mohammed (49), Tion Webster (38), Cephas Cooper (36), Terrance Hinds (34) and Captain Joshua Da Silva (32) all got starts but weren’t able to carry on to a big score.

Rakheem Cornwall has led the Hurricanes bowling do far with 3-56 off 29 overs while Jeremiah Louis has picked up 2-70 from 18 overs.

Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 137 all out off 60.2 overs (Jyd Goolie 30, Collin Archibald 3-28, Jeremiah Louis 3-38, Rakheem Cornwall 2-5, Daniel Doram 2-32) & 285-6 off 108 overs (Jyd Goolie 64, Jason Mohammed 49, Tion Webster 38, Cephas Cooper 36, Terrance Hinds 34, Joshua Da Silva 32, Rakheem Cornwall 3-56)

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 318 all out off 98.2 overs (Jewel Andrew 87, Kieran Powell 65, Jeremiah Louis 41, Mikyle Louis 32, Anderson Phillip 4-62, Brian Charles 3-81)

In the first semi-final, the SKN Patriots which lost to the Jamaica Tallawahs earlier in the competition exacted revenge on Sunday in a match that saw some lusty hitting from Tallawahs’ allrounder Fabian Allen and Andre Fletcher of the SKN Patriots.

Batting first, the Jamaica Tallawahs scored a competitive 122-4. Allen was the mainstay of the Tallawahs’ innings with a 33-ball 82 that included three fours and nine massive sixes.

Tallawahs failed to capitalize on Allen’s whirlwind knock, however, as Kennar Lewis (12) and Raymon Reifer (10) were the only other batters in double figures.

Needing 123 to get into the final, SKN Patriots were led by Andre Fletcher’s unbeaten 30-ball 60 that included five fours and five sixes.

Evin Lewis got the Patriots off to a flying start with 21 from just eight balls that propelled the side to 38 inside three overs.

Sherfane Rutherford made 11 from six balls and Dewald Brevis a run-a-ball five, came and went, but the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle (10) and Fletcher took the Patriots to a seven-wicket victory with four balls to spare.

Nicholas Gordon was the best of Tallawahs’ bowlers but proved to be expensive with 2-35 from his two overs.

In the second semi-final, Rahkeem Cornwall hit four fours and three sixes in his 15-ball 36 to lead the Royals to 101-5. He got support from Corbin Bosch (21) and Kyle Myers, who scored 15 from just seven balls.

Terrance Hinds was the best of the TKR bowlers with 3-13 from his two overs.

TKR made light of the chase getting to 104-4 from 8.4 overs. Sunil Narine (35) and Tion Webster (27) got the team off to a good start scoring 42 from 19 balls.

Narine scored his runs from just 16 balls and hit four fours and two sixes. Webster was equally efficient scoring his runs from 13 balls with two fours and two sixes as TKR raced to 68 in 36 balls before he was bowled by Bosch.

Andre Russell was run out for 17 six balls later but with 19 runs to get from the last three overs Hinds scored 12 from six balls and Tim Seifert nine from four deliveries ensured that target was achieved without any further loss.

At stumps, the Windwards batting a second time are 62-0, just 12 runs behind after Trinidad and Tobago scored 315 in their first innings in reply to the Volcanoes 243.

Tevyn Walcott top-scored with 87.

Trinidad and Tobago owed their first innings lead to late order 50s from Amir Jangoo, who top scored with 86, Tion Webster’s 79 and Terrance Hinds’ 52.

The trio managed to rescue their side from 82-5 in the 41^st over. However, Webster and Jangoo put on 138 for the sixth wicket, which was followed by a 78 run stand between Hinds and Jangoo, which established a lead.

Ryan John was the chief wicket-taker with the impressive figures of 5-18.

At stumps, Kimani Melius is unbeaten on 39 and Jerlani Robinson on 20.

Over at North Sound, Guyana Harpy Eagles were 205-5 at stumps on the opening day of their match against the Barbados Pride thanks to an unbeaten 70 from Matthew Nandu.

Akeem Jordan has so far taken 2-34 while Chiam Holder has snared 2-36.

Meanwhile, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes were in a spot of bother against Jamaica at Coolidge Cricket Ground. At stumps they were 163-6.

Jahmar Hamilton is the top scorer so far but the dangerous Rahkeem Cornwall is not out on 28 and Jeremiah Lewis, 17.

Abhijai Mansingh has taken 2-27 for the Scorpions.

 Kieron Pollard countered Rayad Emrit’s decision to bat first by putting himself in at bat-pad for both Akeal Hosein and Sikandar Raza’s first overs. Chris Lynn did hit Hosein for a Hero Maximum over mid-on, but two balls later he failed to clear deep midwicket even with a favourable breeze and a short boundary. After three overs, the Patriots were 13/1.

Evin Lewis chewed up deliveries, still scoring at only three an over even after sweeping Hosein for six, and it was not a surprise when he hacked at Raza and gave keeper Tim Seifert an easy catch off the top-edge. Lewis faced 19 dot balls in his 24 ball innings and contributed to a Powerplay in which the Patriots stuttered to 27/2.

 Ben Dunk too fell to a top-edge, Pravin Tambe taking an outstanding catch at short-third man off his fellow leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed. Tambe got a wicket of his own, skidding one on to trap Joshua da Silva LBW, and Fawad trapped the promoted Imran Khan in a similar fashion for a duck. Emrit and Denesh Ramdin did at least break a run of four straight overs with a wicket falling, but at halfway the Patriots were 36/5, and every over had been bowled by spinners on a perfectly serviceable pitch.

Ramdin showed intent to resist, smashing Fawad for a flat Hero Maximum over the short leg-side boundary, but in between that and the previous boundary, the Patriots had lost 4/15 in 35 balls. Tambe’s third over went for just four, and in the 13th over the fit-again Ali Khan came on for the game’s first over of pace and struck third ball, Ramdin finding Darren Bravo on the long-on boundary. Tambe bowled out going for just one, leaving the Patriots 64/6 after 14.

 Anderson Phillip’s first over went for just two, and Fawad picked up two wickets in his last over to finish with his best ever Hero CPL figures. If Emrit was unlucky to edge onto pad and see the ball roll onto the stumps, Colin Archibald’s stumping was all due to Seifert’s poise waiting for the moment the foot lifted. Alzarri Joseph swung a Hero Maximum over Hosein’s head, but soon after picked out Phillip at long-off, and the Patriots were 75/9 off 17.

A leg bye took the Patriots past their lowest ever Hero CPL total, 75 away to the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2016, but Phillip soon put the innings out of its misery. It was the first innings in Hero CPL history where a team did not hit a single four.

Tion Webster, in contrast, hit two fours off Sheldon Cottrell in the first over of the chase. With Narine and Lendl Simmons rested, Amir Jangoo got another game and started calmly, not allowing many dot balls and giving the strike to the fluent Webster, who hit Imran for two more fours to take the Knight Riders to 27/0 off four overs. Jon-Russ Jaggesar was tight in both his overs, but Webster and Jangoo both hit Joseph for fours to take the Knight Riders to 42/0 off the Powerplay.

Webster was mostly content to hit through rather than over the field, but did launch Joseph onto the grass bank for a Hero Maximum to take the Knight Riders opening pair past 50 - remarkably, the first time they had done so for the first wicket all season - but Jangoo fell to Emrit next ball to end the stand at 54. Seifert joined Webster, and the Knight Riders coasted to 63/1 at halfway, needing just 15 more to win.

Seifert finished the innings in style with a Hero Maximum, consigning the Patriots to just three points from the group stage, and emulating last season’s perfect league stage from the Guyana Amazon Warriors to march undefeated into Tuesday’s semi-final against the Jamaica Tallawahs. A team with two world-class spinners and Andre Russell can never be discounted, but the Knight Riders machine will take some stopping.

Summary (Trinbago Knight Riders 78/1 (Webster 41*, Jangoo 19, Seifert 16*; Emrit 1/14) beat St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 77 all out (Ramdin 19, Emrit 15, Lewis 12; Fawad 4/21, Hosein 2/25, Phillip 1/3, Raza 1/6, Tambe 1/9, Ali Khan 1/10) by 9 wickets)

Upcoming Fixture: Sunday 6 September - Match 30: St Lucia Zouks v Jamaica Tallawahs (2:15 pm), 1:15 in Jamaica at Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Webster, an all-rounder, smashed 13 fours and two sixes to end not out on 107 off 139 balls, as his almost four-hour knock revived the Red Force innings, which eventually ended at 294. Veteran Jason Mohammed, with a 90-ball 56 and opener Vikash Mohan, with a 96-ball 52, also contributed to the host posting a 103-run lead in reply to the Volcanoes’ first innings total of 191.

Off-spinner Kenneth Dember was the pick of the Volcanoes bowlers with five for 63 from 22 overs.

The Volcanoes in their second innings were 68-2, 35 runs behind with eight wickets intact. Jeremy Solozano, on 30, and Alick Athanaze, on 10, will resume batting on Friday’s penultimate day of the four-day contest.

Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 191 & 68-2 (25 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 294 all out (87 overs) lead by 35 runs

Resuming at 89-1 with Mohan, on 34, and Jyd Goolie, on one, the Red Force lost the latter in the third over of the day, as he added a solitary run to his overnight score.

Mohan added 18 to his overnight score before he went caught off Shamar Springer for a well-played 52 that included six boundaries. Springer, who had Kjorn Ottley (47) on day one, also accounted for captain and West Indies Test wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva (four), to leave the Red Force in a spot of bother at 136-4.

However, Webster came to the crease and shared in a 70-run fifth-wicket stand with Jason Mohammed, who had nine boundaries in his 56, before he fell to Dember.

Though Webster fought on, he quickly ran out of partners, as Dember ran through the lower order batsmen, who all failed to get past 10, and the Red Force innings crumbled shortly after the tea interval.

Springer ended with three for 76 from 23 overs.

Meanwhile, Volcanoes in their second time at bat, again lost opener Johann Jeremiah (19) and West Indies Test batsman Kavem Hodge (zero) cheaply, to leave Solozano and Athanaze, who had a half-century in the first innings, on repair duties.

Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and West Indies pacer Jayden Seales have so far taken the wickets.

Elsewhere, Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners lead Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 90 runs with seven second innings wickets intact, at Frank Worrell Field in Trinidad and Tobago. 

Scores: Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners 273 all out (Amari Goodridge 75, Sadique Henry 73, Romario Greaves 58, Yannick Ottley 24; Daniel Doram 4-37, Jeremiah Louis 3-54, Rahkeem Cornwall 3-86) & 76 for three (Sadique Henry 32 not out; Jeremiah Louis 2-18).

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 259 all out (Kieran Powell 114, Jeremiah Louis 31, Justin Greaves 29, Rahkeem Cornwall 22, Jahmar Hamilton 21; Romario Greaves 19.2-1-63-5, Zishan Motara 2-14, Jediah Blades 2-50).

At Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, Barbados Pride trail Guyana Harpy Eagles by 377 with seven first innings wickets in hand.

Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 436 all out (Veerasammy Permaul 90, Kevlon Anderson 87, Kevin Sinclair 72, Tevin Imlach 55, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 40, Gudakesh Motie 37, Matthew Nandu 28; Kemar Roach 2-52, Jason Holder 2-52, Jomel Warrican 2-98)

Barbados Pride 59 for three (Jonathan Drakes 20 not out; Isai Thorne 2-19).