(Stories by Brij Parasnath)

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Under-19 team have placed themselves in the driver’s seat and are poised to take first innings points and even fight for outright victory against Barbados in their West Indies Cricket Board 2-innings, opening round fixture at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex yesterday.With two days completed and with an official scorecard available for the first time, Trinidad and Tobago closed their first innings in an impregnable position with 371 all out after they had resumed at their overnight total at 312 for the loss of six wickets.
T&T spinners Jonathan Bootan (20-5-43-3), Bryan Boodram (22-8-38-2) and Shatrughan Rambaran (12-6-20-1) shared the wickets as Barbados closed the second day on 171 for the loss of six wickets after 76 overs.
Shian Brathwaite 77, Yvan Grant 22 and Leniko Boucher 20 are the main scorers for Barbados which will have to lift their performances to thwart the efforts of the Trinidadians who aim to start on a winning note and stay in contention for top honours.
In T&T’s first innings, West Indies Youth player Kirstan Kallicharan top-scored with a heroic 110 that was studded with 13 fours off 149 balls. The captain and all-rounder Bryan Boodram made 88 (145b, 10×4) featured in a 181-run sixth-wicket partnership while Dejourn Charles (51 runs, 7×4, 131 balls) and Cephas Cooper 59 (7×4 117 balls) were associated with a 111-run second-wicket partnership.
That laid the platform for Kallicharan and Boodram to dominate the Barbadians in their big stand that gave them the opportunity to press home the advantage, grab first-innings points first then push for outright victory today.