MAN-of-the-Match Jason Mohammed and Evin Lewis stroked half-centuries but Trinidad and Tobago Red Force were made to repel a late surge from Windward Islands Volcanoes before making a winning start to their Regional Super50 title defence, with a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory on Friday night.

Set 267 for victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Red Force seemed to be strolling towards a straightforward win at 217 for three in the 41st over.
Earlier Windwards posted a stiff total of 266 for 7 with Darren Sammy providing a boost late by hitting an unbeaten 60 off 36 balls. Sunil Ambris had earlier struck his second straight half-century for Windwards by top scoring with 69 while Ravi Rampaul took 4 for 43 with the ball for Trinidad & Tobago.

Evin Lewis got Red Force chase off to a terrific start, striking a half-century off just 32 balls as Trinidad & Tobago raced through the Powerplay before Lewis fell for 64 in the 11th to end a 94-run opening partnership with Kyle Hope.
Mohammed entered soon after at No. 4 and steered the chase almost through to the end, making 80 until he was the sixth wicket to fall, edging Kyle Mayers behind to Ambris at the start of the 45th over with 22 needed to win.

Mayers and Ambris teamed up for two more wickets to put Trinidad & Tobago on edge but Roshon Primus hit the winning runs with two overs to spare.

VOLCANOES
J Charles b Rampaul 3
D Smith c Primus b Gabriel 6
T Theophile c wkp Ramdin b Rampaul 6
A Fletcher b Gabriel 35
+S Ambris b Emrit 69
K Hodge c Lewis b Rampaul 18
K Mayers c Khan b Rampaul 22
D Sammy not out 60
D Johnson not out 26
Extras (b4, lb4, w13) 21
TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 266
Did not bat: *L Sebastien, M Matthew.
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-13, 3-18, 4-78, 5-123, 6-150, 7-200.
Bowling: Gabriel 10-0-53-2 (w1), Rampaul 10-2-43-4 (w3), Primus 10-1-62-0 (w2), Emrit 10-1-57-2 (w6), Imran Khan 10-0-43-0 (w1).

RED FORCE
K Hope lbw b Sebastien 36
E Lewis c Theophile b Hodge 64
K Ottley b Sebastien 1
J Mohammed c wkp Ambris b Mayers 80
*+D Ramdin run out 33
N Alexis b Matthew 0
I Khan c wkp Ambris b Mayers 30
R Emrit c wkp Ambris b Mayers 0
R Primus not out 10
R Rampaul not out 1
Extras (b6, lb2, w4) 12
TOTAL (8 wkts, 48 overs) 267
Did not bat: S Gabriel.
Fall of wickets: 1-94, 2-97, 3-125, 4-217, 5-220, 6-245, 7-245, 8-262.
Bowling: Johnson 9-0-71-0 (w1), Matthew 6-0-40-1, Mayers 9-0-59-3, Hodge 10-1-26-1, Sebastien 10-1-31-2 (w3), Theophile 2-0-16-0, Fletcher 2-0-16-0.
Points: Red Force 4, Volcanoes 0.