TAROUBA, Trinidad – Yannic Cariah lashed a brilliant unbeaten half-century and then returned to grab five wickets as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force won their second straight with a comprehensive 114-run victory over Guyana Harpy Eagles here Saturday night.
Yannic Cariah hits out during his top score of 71 not out against Guyana Harpy Eagles on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)Entering the day/night Super50 Cup contest at the Brian Lara Stadium at number six, the 31-year-old left-hander top-scored with 71 not out off 48 balls to propel the hosts to 290 for eight off their 50 overs.
Opener Kjorn Ottley, already with an unbeaten hundred in the opening game, struck 52 from 57 deliveries while captain Darren Bravo carved out his second fifty in three outings with 51 from 60 balls.
Cariah then led Red Force’s effort with the ball, picking up five for 34 with his leg-spin to send Harpy Eagles crashing to a disappointing 176 all out in the 34th over.
Veteran off-spinner Sunil Narine ended with two for 18 as Harpy Eagles lost their last six wickets for 31 runs.
“I thought we were clinical in this particular game. I thought the guys took full responsibility – each and every single player – so I’m quite happy about that,” Bravo said afterwards.
Sherfane Rutherford hit a top score of 30 from 28 balls while Tevin Imlach got 26 from 35 balls and Shimron Hetmyer, 24 from 29 deliveries, but no one carried on.
However, Harpy Eagles captain Veerasammy Permaul said the damage had also been done following their below-par bowling effort.
“We [weren’t] able to pick up wickets in the middle. I think Bravo batted well in the middle and Cariah [came] down at the back end and made a score,” said Permaul.
“In batting, I think we had a good start and then in the middle we threw our wickets away and we didn’t have the momentum coming down [to the end].”
Ottley, who counted half-dozen fours and a six, posted 27 for the first wicket with Evin Lewis (16) and a further 64 with Test gloveman Joshua Da Silva (29) before falling in the 19th over, holing out to mid-wicket off Permaul’s left-arm spin (2-57).
Bravo, who punched half-dozen fours, put on a further 58 for the fourth wicket with Jason Mohammed (26) before Cariah took charge of the back end, striking seven fours and two sixes as he added 45 for the fifth with Mohammed and 32 for the eighth with Terrance Hinds (11).
“I thought it was a good total – probably ten to 15 runs short I believe,” Bravo continued.
“We were in a very good position and obviously we lose some wickets in clusters and that sort of pulled us back a little bit.
“But having said that, I thought Yannic Cariah played an exceptional innings in the back end of the innings and everybody chipped in nicely. So 290 on the board we were quietly confident, with our bowling lineup as well.”
Harpy Eagles’ start was a bright one, Chandrapaul Hemraj (21) helping to gather 29 for the first wicket with Tagenarine Chanderpaul (19) and 31 for the second wicket with Imlach, the chase ticking over at nearly eight runs per over.
Hemraj’s demise at the start of the ninth over, caught at mid-off off left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, led to a slide that saw three wickets tumble for 40 runs as Harpy Eagles lost their way.
Rutherford and Kevin Sinclair (20) attempted a revival in a 45-run fifth wicket partnership but Cariah scythed through the innings to snuff out the challenge.
