POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad (CMC):
ALL-ROUNDER RICHARD Kelly starred with bat and ball to put Trinidad and Tobago in the driver's seat to clinch the Carib Beer Challenge final against Barbados on the fourth day at Guaracara Park yesterday.
The 22-year-old Kelly hit 93 to rally Trinidad and Tobago's second innings from a worrying 99 for five to 266 all out and then grabbed two wickets as Barbados, set a victory target of 337, closed the penultimate day on 110 for four.
Kelly, resuming on 28 with Trinidad and Tobago starting the day with a lead of 207, restrained his natural aggression for the better part of five hours to move within sight of a maiden first-class century before he was last out just before the scheduled tea break.
The left-hander, whose previous highest first-class score was 83, struck 11 fours and a six off 197 balls before falling to a low catch by Dwayne Smith at extra-cover off left-arm pacer Pedro Collins, who was one of four Barbados bowlers with two wickets.
SHARP CHANCE
Kelly, who benefited from a sharp return chance to off-spinner Ryan Austin when he was on 71, featured in an important sixth wicket partnership of 77 with Rayad Emrit and also got good support from Dave Mohammed, Mervyn Dillon and Amit Jaggernauth as the last three wickets produced 89 runs.
Emrit, a first-innings century maker who resumed on 15, fell for 28 to a good catch by wicketkeeper Patrick Browne off Collins and Barbados gained another wicket by removing Dwayne Bravo for a duck when the West Indies all-rounder, batting at No. 8 because of groin injury on the third day, was caught at gully off Dwayne Smith.
Browne, who enjoyed a good match behind the stumps, dropped a difficult chance that let off Mohammed when he was one and it proved costly for Barbados as Kelly and Mohammed took Trinidad and Tobago past the 200-run mark and into a position of comfort.
Mohammed, who batted for an hour and a half, eventually fell for 14 to a catch by Browne off Ian Bradshaw and after Mervyn Dillon hung around for half-hour, he was caught by the keeper off Corey Collymore to give Browne his fourth catch of the innings.
Left with 41 overs to bat an extended final session, Barbados made an encouraging start with Dale Richards and Wayne Blackman posting 86 for the first wicket before both fell in quick succession to Kelly.
Richards, the third highest run-scorer in the competition, stroked 58 that included seven fours off 65 balls before was lbw to a full length ball, and three runs later, Blackman was yorked for 25.
Off-spinner Jaggernauth pressed home Trinidad and Tobago's advantage by cheaply dismissing Floyd Reifer and Dwayne Smith.
The left-handed Reifer fell to a smart catch by Lendl Simmons at silly point while Smith gifted his wicket by giving a catch to deep mid-off.
Barbados captain Ryan Hinds and debutant Kirk Edwards batted through the last 35 minutes to prevent any further wickets and will resume the fifth day with another 227 runs required for victory.
Edwards, who made the topscore of 64 in the first innings, had a reprieve when he was mis-stumped by Denesh Ramdin off Jaggernauth.
Kelly has so far taken two for 21 off seven overs, while Jaggernauth has two for 29 in 15 overs.
POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad (CMC):
Scoreboard on the fourth day of the Carib Beer Challenge final between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados at Guaracara Park yesterday.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 1st Innings 340
BARBADOS 1st Innings 270
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2nd Innings
(overnight 137-5)
L. Simmons run out 14
D. Ganga lbw b Bradshaw 26
+D. Ramdin lbw b Collymore 8
J. Mohammed run out 6
B. Lara c wk Browne b Smith 20
R. Kelly c Smith b Collins 93
R. Emrit c wk Browne b Collins 28
D. Bravo c Hinds b Smith 0
D. Mohammed c wk Browne b Bradshaw 14
M. Dillon c wk Browne b Collymore 9
A. Jaggernauth not out 13
Extras (b5, lb8, nb22) 35
TOTAL (all out - 83.1 overs) 266
Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-52, 3-69, 4-77, 5-99, 6-176, 7-177, 8-214, 9-240, 10-266.
Bowling: Collins 19.1-2-61-2 (nb5), Bradshaw 21-3-60-2 (nb9), Collymore 15-3-57-2 (nb6), Smith 15-3-38-2 (nb2), Hinds 4-1-8-0, Austin 9-5-29-0.
BARBADOS 2nd Innings
D. Richards lbw b Kelly 58
W. Blackman b Kelly 25
F. Reifer c Simmons b Jaggernauth 6
R. Hinds not out 14
D. Smith c Lara b Jaggernauth 1
K. Edwards not out 1
Extras (b5) 5
TOTAL (4 wkts - 41 overs) 110
Fall of wickets: 1-86, 2-89, 3-97, 4-99.
Bowling: Dillon 4-0-18-0, Emrit 5-0-17-0, Mohammed 10-6-20-0, Jaggernauth 15-5-29-2, Kelly 7-2-21-2.
Position: Barbados need another 227 runs to win with six wickets in hand.
Umpires: Billy Doctrove, Norman Malcolm.
