PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Teenaged Trinidadian opener Adrian Barath sent yet another definitive signal to regional selectors with a superb unbeaten century against Leeward Islands on the opening day of their WICB Regional four-day match yesterday.
The pint-sized, 18-year-old opener fashioned an excellent 163 as Trinidad & Tobago, sent in to bat, reached 280 for four at the close of the sixth round clash at the UWI St Augustine’s Sir Frank Worrell Ground.
It was Barath’s third regional first class century but more importantly, it followed his fine 132 against England for West Indies A earlier this month in St Kitts, an innings that would have nudged West Indies selectors.
The former Young West Indies batsman has faced 254 balls, batted for 362 minutes and struck 21 fours and two massive sixes.
Barath featured in an enterprising second-wicket partnership of 159 with captain Daren Ganga who scored 48, after opener Justin Guillen was trapped in front to pacer Robert Joseph for seven with the total on 13.
The right-handed Barath took over the show, however, and with Ganga playing the supporting role, proceeded to dominate the Leewards attack.
He brought up his half-century with an extravagant cover drive of medium pacer Gavin Tonge. His landmark came in 74 minutes off 58 balls and was enriched with nine glorious fours.
An early lunch was taken because of rain and T&T went to the interval on 89 for one with Barath on 55 and Ganga on 19.
On resumption, Barath continued to flay the Leewards’ bowling attack with a wide array of shots on either side of the wicket and eventually reached his century with a boundary off out-of-favour West Indies off-spinner Omari Banks, much to the delight of the UWI students who were in a festive mood during their Carnival celebrations yesterday.
