The Trinidad and Tobago Red Force are 137 runs away from victory but only have five wickets still available when the final day of their West Indies Championship game against the Windward Islands Volcanoes gets under way at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy tomorrow.
Scores in the match so far; Volcanoes, batting first, scored 2016 all out, with the Red Force replying with 225. Batting a second time the Windwards scored 288, leaving the Red Force a target of 270 for victory.
Kirk Edwards, scored 55 in the Volcanoes first innings against the bowling of Imran Khan, who ended with 7-47, but Jeremy Solozano responded with a century for the Red Force in their first at-bat, scoring 104 from 173 deliveries. Solozano’s innings came against probing spells from Shane Shillingford, who ended with 6-74 from 27.1 overs of bowling.
When the Volcanoes bat again, they were more responsible with their shot selection and although, Khan was again among the wickets with four scalps, he was made to work for them, bowling 38.5 overs that yielded 79 runs.
The tough day in the field was made on account of an opening partnership between Taryck Gabriel (58) and Roland Cato (103) worth 148 runs. Unfortunately, nobody else made good on starts, with Devon Smith, 29, Edwards, 30, and Alick Athanaze, 32, all failing to carry on.
But the lead was 269 and good enough to defend if the Volcanoes bowled well and at stumps on day three, they had.
Wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva was not out on 27 and Tion Webster, was on six. Both are capable batsmen but only Bryan Charles and Khan remain. Odean Smith, and Daniel St Clair have been known to score some runs on occasion but the advantage may be with the Volcanoes.
Shillingford has, again, proven problematic for the Red Force, bagging 3-50 from 21 overs. There’ve also been a wicket apiece for Kavem Hodge, 1-18, and Ray Jordan, 1-17.
Kyle Hope, 28, Amir Jangoo, 26, and Yannic Cariah, 21, all got starts but failed to carry on.