• Barbados, Windward Islands sweating second spot

CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Red Force have secured a spot in Saturday’s CG United Super50 Cup final after thrashing the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by eight wickets in their final preliminary game here on Thursday.

With the win at the Queen’s Park Oval, T&T overtook Barbados Pride to go top of the table after the Pride’s match against the Guyana Harpy Eagles was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

While the Red Force are assured of a top two spot, the Pride, who ended the preliminary rounds on 29 points, will have to wait on the outcome of the day/night match between third-placed Windward Islands Volcanoes and Jamaica Scorpions.

The Volcanoes entered the final round of competition on 17 points, five less than the Red Force.

However, with a maximum of 16 bonus points up for grabs, the Volcanoes need to secure at least 13 points if they too are to leapfrog the Pride and qualify for the final.

T&T cruised to victory on the back of half centuries by Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo, which propelled them to 214 for two in 43.1 overs after they bowled out the Hurricanes for 213 in 49 overs.

Webster and Cephas Cooper added 84 runs for the first wicket to give the home side a solid start, before the latter was bowled by off spinner Rahkeem Cornwall for 28.

Jangoo joined Cooper at the crease and helped to maintain T&T’s grip on the game in a partnership of 88 runs.

Just when it looked as though Webster would see his team to victory, he edged a delivery from left-arm pacer Nathan Edward behind to be caught for 83 off 117 balls, inclusive of 10 fours and one six.

From a position of 172 for two, Jangoo, who recently returned to the squad after touring New Zealand with the West Indies, shared an unbroken partnership of 42 with Jyd Goolie, who scored an unbeaten, run-a-ball 23.

Jangoo finished on 72 not out from 85 balls and struck eight boundaries.

Earlier, pacers Ricky Jaipaul and Terrence Hinds snared three wickets apiece to knock the wind out of the Hurricanes.

Hinds had Kofi James caught behind for eight, dismissed Carlon Bowen-Tuckett for five and bowled Mikyle Louis for 13 to leave the Hurricanes 31 for three.

Captain Karima Gore led a fightback with a stubborn knock of 39, Jahmar Hamilton made 71 batting at number six, while Rahkeem Cornwall scored 20 to get their side up to a respectable total.

However, Jaipaul accounted for the wickets of Hamilton, Jewel Andrew and Cornwall, to ensure there would be no late fireworks.

Jaipaul was the pick of T&T’s bowlers with 3-32 and Hinds claimed 3-50.