Bryan Charles spins Red Force into dominant position vs Scorpions

about 2 years in TT News day

AFTER almost a two-year absence of four-day cricket TT Red Force spinner Bryan Charles did not appear rusty grabbing a six-wicket haul in one session on the opening day of the 2022 West Indies Four-Day Championship.
In March 2020 with two rounds remaining in that season, the competition was brought to a halt because of the covid19 pandemic.
Wednesday marked the return of four-day cricket in the West Indies with two matches being played in Trinidad and one in Barbados.
A small crowd attended the match between Red Force and Jamaica Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. Vaccinated fans are allowed to attend the match.
After Red Force fast bowler Jayden Seales snatched the early wicket of Leroy Lugg for one the experienced pair of John Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood guided Scorpions to 74/1 at lunch. Red Force did not help their cause letting Scorpions off the hook with drop catches.
One of the missed opportunities for Red Force was when Blackwood was dropped at gully just before lunch off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel.
It was a perfect second session for the Red Force led by off-spinner Charles.
Charles, who told Newsday recently he worked on his bowling variations during the downtime, seemed ready for the occasion despite the downtime because of the pandemic.
In the first ball after lunch Charles got the breakthrough when Campbell was caught for 25 at short mid-wicket by Red Force captain Imran Khan.
Charles then got the prized wicket of West Indies Test batsman Blackwood for 44 off 72 deliveries and Alwyn Williams did not last long as he was caught at mid-off by Seales to give Charles another scalp.
A mix up between Paul Palmer and Romaine Morrison led to the run out of the latter for duck as both batsmen ended up at the same end.
Seales, making his first-class debut for Red Force despite playing four Test matches for West Indies, showed his quality generating pace and bounce on the surface.
It was a tricky surface for the batsmen as the bounce was inconsistent.
Scorpions were in trouble on 94/6 when Derval Green was caught in the slips by Charles to give Seales the wicket.
Charles could not stay out of the action trapping Jamie Merchant leg before for duck as Scorpions slipped to 99/7.
Palmer and Marquino Mindley offered some resistance with a spirited eighth-wicket partnership.
[caption id="attachment_938918" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Red Force fast bowler Anderson Phillip (L) reacts after bowling to Jamaican Scorpions’ Jermaine Blackwood, during their CWI Regional Four-Day match, on Wednesday, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba. - Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Khan, a player with over 400 first-class wickets, only brought himself into the attack shortly before tea.
Mindley and Palmer played some attacking strokes, but Khan broke the promising partnership.
Khan, 37, showed he is still athletic by diving forward to complete a catch off his bowling to dismiss Palmer for 24. The partnership between Palmer and Mindley was worth 33 runs.
Charles completed his five-wicket haul when Nicholson Gordon was caught by Anderson Phillip for one.
Charles wrapped up the Scorpions innings and grabbed a six-wicket haul in the second session alone when he bowled Mindley for 22.
The off-spinner ended with figures of 6/48 in 20.4 overs and Seales took 2/17 in ten overs as Scorpions were all out for 142.
In reply, Red Force openers Khan and Keagan Simmons played positively at the start, but both fell in quick succession to leave Red Force 24/2.
Fast bowler Gordon first trapped Khan leg before for nine and
Simmons, playing forward to a delivery, was bowled for 11 to give Gordon another wicket.
Jason Mohammed and Joshua Da Silva started to rebuild the innings with the former not shying away from playing shots.
The pair guided Red Force to 58/2, before a vicious bouncer removed Mohammed.
Mohammed got himself into a tangle and could only find the edge to give wicket-keeper Morrison the catch.
Yannic Cariah joined Da Silva and the batsmen avoided any further damage guiding Red Force to 98/3 at stumps and now trail Scorpions by 44 runs.
West Indies wicket-keeper Da Silva is 32 not out and Cariah is unbeaten on 11.
Day two will bowl off at 10 am, on Thursday.
SUMMARISED SCORES
AT BRIAN LARA CRICKET ACADEMY
JAMAICA SCORPIONS 142 – Jermaine Blackwood 45, John Campbell 25; Bryan Charles 6/48, Jayden Seales 2/17 vs TT RED FORCE 98/3 – Joshua Da Silva 32 not out; Nicholson Gordon 2/23
AT QUEEN’S PARK OVAL
WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 278/9 – Alick Athanaze 68, Devon Smith 52, Preston McSween 46 not out; Gudakesh Motie 3/61, Keemo Paul 3/64, Veerasammy Permaul 3/75 vs GUYANA HARPY EAGLES
AT KENSINGTON OVAL
LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES 172 – Devon Thomas 58, Kieran Powell 43; Keon Harding 4/42, Jonathan Carter 2/9 vs BARBADOS PRIDE 27/0
 
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