By Sean Devers
TRINIDAD & Tobago, on the back of 5-21 from Shaan Ramtahal and a quick-fire 37 from Mikel Ali, beat Guyana by three wickets yesterday at Providence despite 4-5 from Richard Ramdehol to give the visitors an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-match Goodwill U-13 series.

Guyana made 90 in 37 overs. Only Kush Seegobin (20) and Ethan Silas (12) reached double figures as Ramtahal, who had 3-7 and 3-16 in the previous games, took the first five-wicket haul in the tournament to take his tally to 11 wickets.

T&T despite a mini collapse reached 91-7 in 27.5 overs with Ali leading the way with 37 from 38 balls with four fours and two sixes. He added 46 for the second wicket with Zakariyya Mohammed who made 10.

Guyana’s best bowler was 12-year-old Rosehall Canje off-spinner, Richard Ramdehol, who followed up his 3-0 in the last match with 4-5 from eight overs.

Chasing 91 to win their second match in the series, skipper and left-arm spinner Brandon Henry had Tyler Ramroop caught and bowled for a duck at 2-1 before Mikel Ali and skipper Mohammed took the score to 48 before leg-spinner Reyad Latiff removed Mohammed for 10.

The left-handed Ail continued to play several audacious shots including a pulled six off a Raffel McKenzie full toss before slog-sweeping Latiff for a second six.

Ali pulled Henry for four and soon brought up the 50 before he was trapped lbw to Ramdehol at 60-3. Roberto Badree was run-out for a duck to leave T&T on 60-4.

Ethan Ramcharran retired hurt for five to trigger a mini-collapse. Ramdehol bowled Raed Ali-Khan (4) at 65-5 before wickets fell at 72 as Guyana fought back.

But Ramtahal, on nine not out and Reyad Jerome unbeaten on seven saw their team home.

Earlier, Guyana were invited to bat on a good track and fast outfield and with cotton-wool like clouds floating lazily over the Providence sward, Silas (12) and Mohammed Ballie (5) took the score to 19 before the impressive Ramroop sent Ballie’s off stump for a walk.

Watched by another small but vocal gathering in glorious sunshine, Aaden Owen induced Silas to edge one that left him, for Ali to hold his fifth catch (at slip) in the tournament and leave Guyana on 22.

Seegobin and Ramdehol, who got going with boundary, added 24 before Ramdehol (5) was run-out at 49-3 before Seegobin, who batted for 76 minutes and faced 46 balls in a well-constructed innings, hit Ramtahal to mid-on at 55-4.

The wily Ramtahal had Henry (5) caught behind down the leg-side at 69-5 before Tameshwar Deonandan (0) was run-out without addition to the score.

Latiff (9) Nathaniel Ramsammy (2) carried the score to 74 before Ramtahal removed both of them in the space of four runs.

McKenzie (3 not out) and Dorris Parson (9) took the score to 90 before Parson was bowled ‘through the gate’ with a perfect off-break as Ramtahal struck again.

Thierry Davis was run-out for a duck as Guyana, who made 43 & 99 in the first two games, were bowled out for their third double-digit total.

The final game is set for tomorrow at Providence and must be won to avoid losing the four-match series 3-1.