ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Trinidad and Tobago Red Force recorded their fifth win in a row to end the preliminary round of the CG Insurance Super50 Cup with a perfect record and 20 points. They had a comfortable six-wicket victory over Guyana Jaguars on Saturday night at Coolidge Cricket Ground in a top-of-the-table clash. Guyana meanwhile had their first defeat, but remain in second place on 12 points from four matches.
Leg-spinner Imran Khan took a career-best five-wicket haul to bowl out Guyana for 187 after they were 106 without loss. Playing his 50th List A match, Khan ran through the middle-order with a spell of 5-32, as the last nine wickets tumbled for 81 runs. He was named the CG Insurance Man-of-the-Match.
For Guyana, opener Chandrapaul Hemraj played some brilliant strokes as he reached 87 off 83 balls with six sixes, but was one of Khan's victims, as he tried to cut a ball that was too close and was well caught behind by Denesh Ramdin.
Then, under the lights, half-centuries from Jason Mohammed and Darren Bravo ensured Red Force finished the job as they reached 189-4 in the 41st over. Mohammed scored an unbeaten 82 off 114 balls with eight boundaries. In the process, he reached 2,000 runs in the 50-over format for Trinidad and Tobago.
Left-hander Bravo, who was stand-in captain, also batted well and made 58 from 77 balls – his 36th half-century in the List A format. He hit six fours a six and calmly helped Mohammed add 112 in 23 overs for the third wicket.
“It feels great to get five wickets for my country, my first five-for in this tournament as well. I tried to keep it simple, that’s my style, and it worked for me. To win five out of five is just what we wanted. I know we will be ready for it (semi-finals). I see myself as someone to make a contribution in any way the team requires and always ready when the captain calls on me,” Khan said after the match.
