AFTER three successive defeats, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel registered its first win in the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 competition when they narrowly edged out Guyana Amazon Warriors by three runs at the famous Queen’s Park Oval last evening.The Dwayne Bravo-led outfit regained some measure of respect and re-ignited the chance of fighting for a semi-final berth. They were defeated by the Amazon Warriors by 19 runs in their first round fixture at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on July 31.

Having been set 160 for victory after the T&T Red Steel made 159 for 4 off their allotted overs, Guyana Amazon Warriors rallied to 156 for 4 off their 20 overs.

The Amazon Warriors’ pathetic catching display and slow scoring by their three inform batsmen Lendl Simmons, Martin Guptill and captain Ramnaresh Sarwan left too much for the heroic James Franklin and Christopher Barnwell to bring home the victory.

Simmons, Guptill and Sarwan were dismissed with only 47 runs in 7.5 overs.

And their woes were further compounded when Mohammed Hafeez offered the simplest of catches to wicketkeeper Pooran who moved to his left and accepted the lobbed chance from an attempted scoop shot by the Pakistani T20 captain. The score was 78 for 4 off 13.3 overs and Hafeez made 35 off 37 ballls and he hit one six and three fours.

Simmons was caught by Pooran off Fidel Edwards whom he had smashed for six off the first ball of the innings.

But the former West Indian pacer induced a false stroke Simmons departed for 18 with two sixes and a four off ten deliveries; Guptill (6 runs, 12 balls) was brilliantly caught by the lanky Sulieman Benn off Delorn Johnson while Sarwan faced eight balls for only four when he was deceived by Bravo and gave wicketkeeper a simple catch.

Hard-hitting Barnwell joined James Franklin who signalled his intentions of upping the tempo when he charged Delorn Johnson, operating from the Brian Lara Pavilion end; and registered an 85-metre six off his first delivery as the ball sailed infront of the Jeffrey Stollmeyer stand.

Franklin and Barnwell featured in an unbroken 78-run fifth wicket partnership but they fell short by three runs in a very thrilling finish. Franklin kept the Warriors hopes alive with powerful hitting and remained undefeated on 60 that contained three sixes, the last off Kevon Cooper in the final over that rocketed away for well beyond 93-metres. The left-hander also struck five confident fours off 34 balls while Barnwell supported with one six and one four off 18 balls for his unbeaten 23.

Earlier, having been asked to take first strike; Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel openers Kevin O’Brien and Adrian Barath rode their luck and established a new CPLT20 partnership record of 95 for the first wicket before Barath nudged an innocuous delivery into the gloves of wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin who made no mistake and the breakthrough was finally gained after sloppy fielding and missed opportunities by the Amazon Warriors to impose themselves and regain their winning ways.

O’Brien was gifted a six off the very first delivery of the innings after he pulled Christopher Barnwell’s lifter just above Steven Jacobs’ outstretched fingers and watched anxiously as the ball kissed the right palm and over the boundary marker. Jacobs was stationed about fifteen metres inside the boundary marker at deep square leg.

The Irishman was also let off the Mohammed Hafeez when on thirteen as he drove to the right of the fielder at mid-wicket but the Pakistani could not hold on and allowed the batsmen scampered through for two.

Hafeez, however, made amends later but not before O’Brien had treated the massive crowd with bold attacking strokes that sent the white ball orbiting over the boundary marker on six occasions for his team’s best individual score in the CPLT20. He was on 13 when dropped so he added a further 57 invaluable runs to carried his team to a challenging total.

His second six was off the first ball of Franklin’s second over and it was the CPLT20’s 100^th six and, unknowingly; the right-hander celebrated with another majestic 83-metre six the very next delivery, which was followed by a powerful cover drive for four. Nineteen runs from the over and O’Brien carted Veerasammy Permaul’s first ball of his second over and the 10^th of the innings for an 82-metre six and his first fifty of the tournament.

The Red Steel was in a comfortable position at 83 without loss after ten overs.

Steven Jacobs replaced Permaul and was immediately greeted with the biggest six of the innings, a gigantic 98-metre off the very first delivery bowled to O’Brien who was in punishing mood.

But Jacobs, who played in place of all-rounder Narsingh Deonarine for this match; got the breakthrough when Barath nudged the fourth delivery in to the gloves of wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. Barath contributed 29 with three fours off 31 balls and the opening pair had posted 95 in 11.4 overs.

Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan kept his two most outstanding spinner in operation as he brought back Sunil Narine and Permaul and they slowed down pace on the ball and restricted the scoring opportunities.

Then he re-introduced Barnwell in the 16^th over and the move paid dividends as O’Brien played uppishly to slower full toss to the fifth delivery and Hafeez plunged to his right and plucked the ball out of the air. The Irishman’s luck ended with the score at 125 after 15.5 overs. He topscored with 70 that was studded with six massive sixes and two fours off 45 balls.

New Zealander Ross Taylor and O’Brien had added thirty for the second wicket while teenaged sensation Nicolas Pooran who smacked six sixes against the Amazon Warriors at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on July 31; was given the chance to attempt a repeat.

But the left-hander failed to deliver as he offered James Franklin a straight forward catch at the long on position from a full length delivery from Krishmar Santokie who also castled skipper Dwayne Bravo after he was dropped by Permaul at the deep extra cover boundary.

Taylor remained undefeated on 39 that included three sixes, an 88-metre rocket-missile off Permaul after umpire Joel Wilson had signalled dead ball to the previous delivery that the New Zealander had whacked over the boundary.

Taylor also counted two fours off the 27 balls received while Darren Bravo (7 runs, 4 balls, 1×4) was the other not out batsman when the T&T Red Steel innings ended at 159 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs.

The Red Steel first fifty was scored off 8.1 overs while the second was the quickest off 4.1 overs and the third in 6.5 overs. The Guyana Amazon Warriors did well to concede only 41 runs in the last five overs when normally the batting side would seek to score seventy and more.

Summarised Scores CPLT20 Match:

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO RED STEEL 159 for 4 off 20 overs (Kevin O’Brien 70, Adrian Barath 29, Ross Taylor 39 not out; Christopher Barnwell 3-0-22-1; Krishmar Santokie 4-0-25-2, Steven Jacobs 1-0-10-1) beat GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS (Mohammed Hafeez 35, Lendl Simmons 18, James Franklin 60 n.o., Christopher Barnwell 23 n.o.; Dwayne Bravo 4-0-21-2, Delorn Johnson 4-0-25-1, Fidel Edwards 4-0-47-