The T&T Red Force spun its way to victory over the Leeward Islands in the opening round of the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League Four-Day tournament yesterday, as Kavesh Kantasingh and Imran Khan grabbed six wickets each.
The Leeward Islands had no answers to the spin attack from T&T at Warner Park in St Kitts.
The Red Force spinners snatched 15 wickets in the match to start the season with victory by an innings and 23 runs.
The Leeward Islands Hurricanes were bundled out for 118 in the first innings after starting day three yesterday on 55/4, handing T&T a first innings lead of 207 runs.
Jamaican Nkrumah Bonner was the only batsman to offer resistance, finishing on an unbeaten 57. Leg spin bowler Khan, T&T’s top bowler in the tournament last year, grabbed 4/46 in 14 overs.
Left-arm spinner Kantasingh, who took five catches in the match, snatched 4/29 from 11 overs. Fast bowler Gavin Tonge played a cameo in the second innings, which included two fours and two sixes in a 20-run over off T&T captain Rayad Emrit.
However, Tonge (41) could not prevent the Leewards from sliding to the massive defeat as the spin trio of Narsingh Deonarine (3/32), Kantasingh (2/48) and Khan (2/41) dismissed the home team for 184 to wrap up the victory.
Khan finished with match figures of 6/87, while Kantasingh took 6/77 in the match. Shane Jeffers also fought hard for the Hurricanes, scoring 36. T&T will have a tough assignment in the next round which bowls off on Friday. The Red Force will travel to Kensington Oval to face Barbados, a team which includes numerous West Indies players.
T&T will hope to continue its form with the bat against Barbados, as wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo (71), Evin Lewis (66), Deonarine (55) and Yannic Cariah (50) all cracked half centuries against the Hurricanes. (CMC)
