All posts by h716a5.icu

Warwickshire and Hampshire settled for a draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much but delivered only stalemate

Press Association22-Apr-2015
ScorecardVarun Chopra marshalled Warwickshire through the final day•PA PhotosWarwickshire and Hampshire settled for a draw at Edgbaston after a final day which had promised much but delivered only stalemate.At start of play both sides had a sniff of victory as Warwickshire resumed on 47 without loss, needing another 332 to reel in their target of 379, while Hampshire had to find 10 wickets. A Hampshire win was unlikely, their bowlers’ task made difficult by a slow and flattening pitch which offered little turn throughout.It was Warwickshire, their innings given a brisk start by Ian Westwood the previous evening, who appeared to be in a position from which to push for victory but they never sought to accelerate, finishing on 244 for 5.Captain Varun Chopra, on 10 when the last day began, batted through the day to record his 17th first-class century, a rock-solid if colourless composition which brought him an unbeaten 119 from 309 balls with 14 fours.After three days of interesting, fluctuating cricket, the fourth amounted to disappointment for the spectators as the match petered out into a draw from which Warwickshire took 10 points and Hampshire 11.The visitors struck an early blow when Andre Adams trapped Westwood lbw but Chopra and William Porterfield ensured there was no early clatter of wickets, adding an unbroken 60 in 30 overs, hitting just one boundary apiece up to lunch.The second-wicket pair showed no more adventure after the interval and had ground out 68 from 34 overs before Porterfield edged a fine delivery from James Tomlinson to the wicketkeeper.The impressive Tomlinson collected a deserved second wicket when Laurie Evans lifted the ball to mid-on and when Liam Dawson had Sam Hain caught at short leg, it was 145 for 4 and Warwickshire were wobbling.But Chopra remained and went into tea on 70 from 216 balls, just four of which he had hit for four, resuming afterwards with concentration undiminished. He found an equally obdurate partner in Tim Ambrose who was batting with a runner after suffering a gluteal strain.The wicketkeeper, a century-maker in the first innings, dug in again for 29 to snuff out any lingering Hampshire hopes of inducing a late collapse.Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams was pleased with his side’s performance, and said: “At the start of the last day I thought a draw was probably the least likely result.”But Varun played very well and it was a pretty good wicket which offered only a little bit of turn and didn’t go up and down like both teams thought it might. I don’t think we could have asked an awful lot more from our bowlers. They kept it tight and didn’t give anything away.”The previous evening at the start of their innings Warwickshire had got away from us a little bit and if they had started the same way today then things could have been a lot different. But the guys bowled well and I am really happy with the way we played over the four days.”

Zimbabwe batsman Solomon Mire’s rise has delighted his former mates in College Cricket Club in Hamilton, Victoria

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2015There were cheers in Hamilton, New Zealand when little-known Solomon Mire smacked Morne Morkel over cow corner to ensure Zimbabwe went down in style last Sunday. There were also cheers in Hamilton, Australia.”That shot… it was just so good. That’s what Solomon can do,” Hamish Bailey, the coach of of College Cricket Club in Hamilton, Victoria, three-and-half-hours from Melbourne, told ESPNcricinfo. Bailey would know.Five years ago, a young Mire, whose only claim to fame was being at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup (his numbers there were underwhelming as he scored just 95 runs from five matches and took a single wicket), moved to Hamilton to start a new life. He came on the recommendation of Daniel Landman, another Zimbabwean age-group player, who was going to be the clubs’s overseas professional but chose UK instead, and with almost nothing but the ability to hit the ball hard.”He was really hard-working, fit and strong and better than any of us,” Bailey said. And it was not long before others saw that. Mire soon found opportunity in Melbourne, where he played premier cricket for Carlton, albeit not at the level where he could make a living.He was part of the club’s second XI, a non-paying position, and needed a step in the right direction, financially. That was where Crusaders, a wandering cricket team of which former Gray-Nicolls bat retailer Swan Richards is a co-founder. Richards, who among other things aids in the development of promising Australian cricketers, stepped in. “We helped him for between six and nine months because he needed some guidance,” he said.That assistance included equipment and help with the immigration office as Mire looked to make his life in Australia. When the Melbourne Renegades signed him as a rookie for the 2013-14 season, that could have sealed his future Down Under, but it also came with being re-noticed by a Zimbabwean administration looking to change the fortunes of their ailing team.He was picked for their tour of Bangladesh and stood out as one of the few performers on a tour of failure. Zimbabwe lost all three Tests and five ODIs, but Mire scored two half-centuries in the limited-overs leg. He was Zimbabwe’s joint second-highest run-scorer along with Hamilton Masakadza, and showed the ability to hit the ball further than Zimbabwe’s biggest hitter Elton Chigumbura. That allowed the captain to move up the order, away from the finisher’s role which Mire has now adopted.”He’s just great to watch,” Brendan Taylor said of Mire. Richards agrees. “He is an exceptional hitter of the ball, so much so that sometimes he needs to tame it. It’s difficult because how do you do that with so much natural ability?”Richards hopes that if Mire can find the balance between bludgeoning and building an innings, he can catch the attention of a T20 franchise, if only because that will allow him to turn cricket into a career. “There are truckloads of opportunities for cricketers these days. We just want Solomon to succeed,” Richards said. “And you don’t have to be a superstar to earn a few hundred thousand dollars. For most guys that is a lot of money, although for the really big guys it’s small change.”Mire may also look to another stint in the Big Bash, which will be made easier if the status of his bridging visa for Australia is changed to allow him permanent residency, and there are thoughts of him going to England to play club cricket there. But the immediate focus is the World Cup and Richards wants Mire to do well for both himself and Zimbabwe. “When it gets hard, he has to be the one to get a big score. He has got a window of opportunity here and he needs to take it.”By the time Mire got to the crease against South Africa, there were only nine overs left in the innings and Zimbabwe needed 104 more runs. Mire had seen it was possible – he bowed the over that David Miller smacked for 30 – but the South African attack were not going to let him get away with what he had gifted Miller. He tried anyway and showed his potential to become a hero for Zimbabwe when they need him to. But even if he doesn’t manage that, he is already a hero in some circles.Mire’s old team-mates at College Cricket Club, to whom he returns every Christmas, will be tracking him through parts of the tournament. Next week, a car-load of Mire’s friends will make the 10-hour trip across more than 900 kilometres from Hamilton to Canberra to watch him play against West Indies.”Zimbabwe has become all of our second team and we’re hoping they will get a game in Adelaide because that would be closer for us to go to,” Bailey said. The South Australian capital is only 500 kilometres away, which will still require a road trip, but if Zimbabwe get to play there, it means they would have qualified for a quarter-final and their opposition will be Australia.In Hamilton, Australia, they may not be cheering for the home team.

France's conveyor belt of young talent paid off in the summer as Les Bleus lifted the World Cup – but who are the stars of the future?

Getty1Timothy Weah (PSG)

It’s not easy making a breakthrough as a young player into one of the world’s biggest clubs, but Timothy Weah, son of former Ballon d’Or winner George, is threatening to do just that. He turned out three times for PSG last season, playing 122 minutes in total, and in the Trophee des Champions clash with Monaco last week he notched his first senior goal and played the full 90 minutes. The USA international, just 18, is beginning to justify the hype.

AdvertisementGetty2Martin Terrier (Lyon)

Perhaps no one has caught the eye in pre-season quite as much as Lyon attacker Martin Terrier. OL swooped to sign the 21-year-old from Strasbourg last January before loaning him immediately back to the club to finish the campaign. He impressed with Racing, scoring three times and creating four more in Ligue 1 but suffered from injuries in the second half of the season. He appears to have hit the ground running at Parc OL and should supplement the likes of Nabil Fekir, Mariano Diaz and Memphis Depay nicely.

Getty Images3Oumar Solet (Lyon)

Centre-back has been a problem position for Lyon for several seasons now and they are hopeful that 18-year-old Oumar Solet can one day grow into the player to finally act as a solution. Signed from third-tier Laval in the summer for little more than €500,000, he could prove one of the bargains of the summer. Bruno Genesio has already given him game time in pre-season, where he looked comfortable against Inter in a 1-0 friendly defeat.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Gettyimages4Stanley N’Soki (PSG)

It’s not certain that 19-year-old Stanley N’Soki (pictured left) will still be at Paris Saint-Germain when the season begins, as the likes of Arsenal, Marseille and especially Newcastle hover. He is not yet tied down to a professional deal, but one imagines that after his impressive display against Monaco in the Trophee des Champions it has to be a top priority. He impressed down the left for the Ligue 1 champions on his full senior bow, even lending an assist, yet his more natural position is centre-back.

The USWNT midfielder scored a big goal as she continues to put this summer's disappointment behind her.

After deploying a super strong team in a 3-0 rout against China over the weekend, Twila Kilgore shook things up on Tuesday. In a match against the same opponent, Kilgore gave some new faces a chance, with varying success.

In the end, it resulted in a 2-1 win over China, one that saw the U.S. women's national team come from behind to seal the win. It wasn't nearly as one-sided as the first match, but it was equally impressive, as the USWNT eventually figured out China's low block to erase any frustration from a lackluster first half.

In the end, several newer faces stole the show. Both goalscorers are players that were not part of the World Cup squad, but will now have realistic Olympic dreams. Those preparations remain ongoing but, for a few players in the team, this will have been a big step forward on the road to next summer's tournament.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Toyota Stadium…

GettyWINNER: Sam Coffey

In the months leading up to the World Cup, USWNT fans were all left wondering: where is Sam Coffey? When the actual World Cup started, those questions grew louder. Given the team's issues in midfield, how could Coffey be left out?

Well, Coffey is continuing to make the outside world wonder "what if". More importantly, though, she's continuing to prove that the past is the past, and that she should be part of the USWNT's present and future.

The goal was an obvious exclamation point, one that left even Coffey stunned. The smile on her face said it all and, after the match, she admitted that she couldn't even fully remember how it all happened. Coffey was as shocked as anyone after scoring her first USWNT goal.

She doesn't get many, and that's not why she's here. Coffey is with the USWNT to help run the midfield, and she's shown she can do that a bit too.

The question is if she can do it as a single No. 6. Played next to Emily Sonnett here, can Coffey hold things down in a way that allows Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle to bomb forward? We'll find out eventually, as it seems Coffey is here for good after being left out for far too long.

AdvertisementLOSER: Ashley Hatch

Hatch is in something of a weird spot. With a legend like Alex Morgan and young guns like Sophia Smith and Mia Fishel behind her, Hatch is a player caught between two generations, in a way.

Because of that, Hatch faces something of an uphill battle for an Olympic spot, and that battle didn't get any easier after Tuesday night. Hatch provided plenty of energy and enthusiasm, making some things happen in her 45 minutes. She couldn't quite get the goal, though, and that will be held against her once again.

Fairly or unfairly, Hatch's history shows that she hasn't quite been able to bring her NWSL goalscoring to the USWNT. She's held to a tough standard, considering those around her, and it'll take something special for her to hold off a rising star Fishel, given what we've seen. With roster spots at a premium and time running out ahead of the Olympics, Hatch will need to start 2024 on fire to keep her name in the mix for a spot up top.

GettyWINNER: Jaedyn Shaw

She may only be 19, but Shaw seems ready for whatever the USWNT can throw at her.

That's two goals for her now, both in memorable stadiums. The first came in front of her club's hometown crowd and the second came in front of her actual hometown crowd. If the World Cup final was in a city that meant something to Shaw, history shows that no one would be able to stop her!

The goal was a cool one for the youngster, who really placed her shot to win the game. It was, however, not her only moment as Shaw showed signs throughout her time on the field. In the first half, she seemed oh so close, having a few good moments just failing to come off right at the end.

It all worked out eventually, and, so far in her USWNT career, everything seems to be going Shaw's way. It won't always be that way but, despite her age, Shaw's showing she has more than enough to her game to contribute in the short term, not just the long term.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

LOSER: Emily Fox

Not a loser in the traditional sense, as Fox's stock didn't drop in the slightest. No, Fox is a loser because, physically, she's gonna feel this one for quite a while!

In a personal sense, every player on the field will have gone into this one looking to avoid injury. It's the last game of 2023, after all. After this, each of these players will go on a well-deserved vacation to get some much-needed rest ahead of a huge 2024. Fox, though, will start that vacation a bit beat up.

The fullback was fouled har several times, taking a beating throughout her 45 minutes. She nearly came out early after having her legs swiped on the edge of the box and ultimately did come out of the match at halftime due to concussion protocol.

Overall, it was a tough one for Fox, who didn't get the send-off she deserved after a fantastic 2023.

Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United will face each other in thrilling showdowns during their pre-season tours in the United States this summer.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

PL powerhouses to head to the USA Will lock horns against each other in pre-season friendlies Arteta "looking forward" to Stateside return GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The action-packed schedule kicks off with a high-profile encounter between Arsenal and Manchester United at the iconic SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on July 27. Next up, Liverpool will square off against Arsenal at the historic Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on July 31 and this clash promises to be a spectacle as two of England's footballing giants battle it out on American soil.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The excitement will continue as Liverpool will make their way to South Carolina to take on Manchester United at the prestigious Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia on August 3. This match marks Liverpool's return to the U.S. after a hiatus of five years, which will further fuel the excitement and anticipation of supporters who are eager to witness their favourite team in action. Chelsea and Manchester City will also cross the Atlantic during the 2024-25 pre-season and will go head-to-head in Columbus, Ohio.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

For Manchester United, this tour presents an opportunity to strengthen their bond with their American fanbase. Manchester United's football director John Murtough said: "The popularity of English football is continuously growing in the US, and we’ve come to expect passionate and enthusiastic support from our U.S. fan base. They didn’t disappoint last year and everyone at the club is looking forward to reconnecting with those fans again this summer.”

Whereas, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: "Our tour last year was a real success and it’s always an amazing experience to play in front of our passionate supporters in the US. We’re looking forward to returning and seeing everyone again.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Before they embark on their journey to the United States, the three English giants will be looking to excel in their respective domestic and European commitments. Jurgen Klopp's men are on the brink of lifting their first silverware of the season as they are set to lock horns with Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. Whereas, Arsenal and United will be in action in the Premier League against Newcastle United and Fulham respectively on Saturday. on Saturday.

Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, has lauded the aggression and confidence of new batsman Kusal Perera, who helped Sri Lanka achieve two rapid starts in the first two ODIs

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Mar-2013Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, has lauded the aggression and confidence of new batsman Kusal Perera, who helped the team achieve two rapid starts in the first two ODIs, after being pushed up the order.Perera came into the side as a wicketkeeper batsman who bats in the middle order, but has since been elevated to opener in both ODIs and Twenty20s. He and Tillakaratne Dilshan blitzed 83 runs in the first eight overs of the first match, before launching another early assault in the second ODI, until the rains came.”Kusal reminds me of the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya, because of the shots that he plays,” Mathews said. “He’s very fearless and he hasn’t changed anything about the way he plays since he was in the under-19 teams. He wants to take on any bowler that comes his way, and he takes a lot of pressure off Dilshan as well. That combination works for us.”Perera first impressed during the limited-overs leg of Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia, where he played several brief but belligerent innings – the most notable of which was an unbeaten 22 to see the side home in a low-scorer at the Gabba. He has not crossed fifty in internationals, but is coming off first-class scores of 203, 97 and 336, the last of which is a Sri Lankan domestic record.”Every single player has his own way. We don’t want to change that in any player. We want him to go out there and enjoy it. The selectors are very transparent with the players, so I’m sure as the chief selector, Sanath Jayasuriya has had a chat with Kusal about his longer-term plans for the team.”Sri Lanka had made 33 for no loss after five overs, before the rains came in the second ODI, and the washout means Sri Lanka must win their final match to win the series. Mathews suggested, Sri Lanka are likely to name an unchanged XI in the final match, meaning Angelo Perera, Sachith Pathirana and Kithuruwan Vithanage may not debut in ODIs in this series.Vithanage and Angelo Perera have been picked in the Twenty20 squad, and are well in the running to play in that match, given the absence of senior players in that squad.”If we had won the second ODI we would have tried out some new players. We still haven’t decided on our XI but I’m pretty sure that the team might have been changed if we had won the second ODI. The first few overs we got off to a really good start, but it was disappointing that the rain came down quite heavily and we couldn’t play a single over after that. As far as the team is concerned, you have to be relaxed about something like that, but we need to get our focus back and get things in line for the next game.”I feel that it is a good challenge for us. We haven’t won the series yet, so we have to play some really good cricket to win it. From a thinking point of view we have to be as positive as we can, and try and play to our potential.”

Luke Wright, the England allrounder, has undergone knee surgery in Sweden on the injury that curtailed his 2011 season

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2011Luke Wright, the England allrounder, has undergone knee surgery in Sweden on the injury that curtailed his 2011 season and his recovery will take until Christmas.He had been out of action since mid-July and after trying various methods, including injections, to recover it was decided that surgery was the only option. “He’s been around the ground, watching, but is missing cricket and is a bit bored and a bit frustrated,” Mark Robinson, the Sussex coach, told local radio.Wright played in England’s Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka, at Bristol, earlier in the season but had drifted out of the ODI side following the World Cup and it is unlikely he would have figured against India even if he’d been available.Meanwhile, Wright’s team-mate Monty Panesar has signed for Sydney grade team Randwick-Petersham who he will join in early October. The move will ensure Panesar continues to play cricket ahead of England’s winter tours of UAE and Sri Lanka where he will hope to be the second spinner selected.Panesar has had a solid season in the Championship with 56 wickets at 28.98 and has also been a regular in Sussex’s one-day side. He last played for England against Australia, at Cardiff, in 2009 when he helped secure the famous draw alongside James Anderson but was part of the Ashes tour last winter.

Rahul Dravid may have played 150 Tests in a career spanning 15 years, but admits he still feels the pressure to contribute to the team

Sriram Veera in Kingston18-Jun-2011Rahul Dravid may have played 150 Tests in a career spanning 15 years, but admits he still feels the pressure to contribute to the team. The Tests in West Indies will be Dravid’s first series since the trip to South Africa in December-January and he said it had been a challenge to maintain intensity during the down time.”I am relaxed, but there is always a pressure to go and score runs, irrespective of who you are,” Dravid said after his first training session at Sabina Park. “You want to make a contribution, but you know that there is a lot [that] you have accomplished, a lot that you have already done, which cannot be taken away from you. So I do relax more with regard to that part of the game.”But when I go into a game, I am still nervous. That never changes, whether I am playing my first game or my 151st game. The reason that I continue playing is because I love the contest and love the vibes. I am still enjoying the game.”Dravid is not part of India’s limited-overs set up anymore and said that, while it was challenge to maintain focus during the gaps between Tests, he was well-prepared for the upcoming series. “It has been five-six months that we played a Test match,” he said. “There has been a bit of IPL in between. It’s a challenge to keep it going but the good thing from my point of view is that we have got seven Test matches in a row now (three in West Indies and four in England), once we start on June 20.”That was at the back of my mind as I was preparing for this series and England. It will be good to get some runs early on and hopefully carry the form in the seven games.”Dravid averages 70 in the Caribbean, with 1260 runs from 14 Tests, and has scored two centuries and ten half-centuries. This is his fourth tour of the West Indies. He averages 55.60 with three half-centuries in three Tests at Sabina Park, the venue of the first match. The previous time he played here, Dravid top scored for India in both innings (81 and 68) of a low-scoring game to help them win the Test and the series.Rahul Dravid: “I am still enjoying the game”•Gallo Images”I have very pleasant memories of the ground, especially after what we achieved here when we came here last time,” Dravid said. “When we got here, anything could have happened on a low-scoring wicket, anything. We were the better team in the series, but on a difficult wicket like that you could so easily lose. I will definitely say that it was one of my better innings that I [have] played in terms of the quality.”Dravid said it had been his childhood ambition to play in the West Indies. “After hearing so much about playing in the West Indies, as a young kid, [I was] looking forward to coming here. My ambition has never changed.”I grew up to my dad turning the radio on and hearing commentary about Gavaskar scoring hundreds here [against] the fast bowlers, and dreamed about playing here. You want to come here and play in front of passionate crowds. Even when you are walking on the street they seem to know so much about your scores. I know that the grounds are not that full for Test matches but I still hope that there will be a good atmosphere.”There are quite a few young players in the Indian squad and Dravid said he is looking forward to passing on his experience and helping in the transition phase. “I am hoping that over the next seven Test matches, there will be opportunity to share those experiences, especially with some of the young batsmen coming up.”I know that in the next couple of years there will be times young batsmen will come through and that’s the way it should be. They are getting a lot of exposure in the one-day game, Twenty20 and the IPL. A lot of them are more experienced [compared to] when I, Sourav Ganguly or VVS Laxman came into the team. Hopefully when they make it to the team they can have the long careers that we have had. You know that the team is going to be in good health if three or four [of these] guys can establish themselves and score runs consistently. So it will be interesting to see which of these guys can perform for India.”

The Goa Cricket Association has decided to drop its interim captain Swapnil Asnodkar for two Ranji Trophy matches because he decided to call off an achievable chase against Maharashtra

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Nov-2011The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has decided to drop its interim captain Swapnil Asnodkar for two Ranji Trophy matches because he decided to call off an achievable chase against Maharashtra in the first round of the Plate group. The fixture in Povorim ended in a draw, giving the visitors three points because of their first-innings lead and Goa only one.Ganeshraj Narvekar, son of current GCA president Dayanand Narvekar, took 5 for 48 on Ranji debut to restrict Maharashtra to 91 in their second innings, which left Goa with a target of 130 in about 20 overs. However, Asnodkar, who was leading Goa in the absence of the injured Shadab Jakati, decided to abort the chase after six overs. The hosts were on 18 for 1 at the time, with Asnodkar on 5 and Abhishek Raut on 8.Asnodkar’s decision had gone against what was decided at the team meeting during the innings break – that Goa would attempt to reach the target – and left the team management and the GCA selectors confused. Amit Yadav, a hard-hitting batsman, had also replaced Vaibhav Naik, Asnodkar’s regular opening partner, to help kickstart the chase.”The decision was taken with the coach in the team meeting that we are chasing it,” said Prasad Phaterpekar, the GCA secretary. “Accordingly we changed the opening combination. Abhishek Raut came one down. Both [Raut and Asnodkar] were Twenty20 specialists. After six overs, he [Asnodkar] just called off the match on his own as captain.”Patharpekar, who had rushed to the ground after hearing about Narvekar’s bowling exploits, was astonished by Asnodkar’s decision, as was the Goa selection panel comprising Prashant Kakode, Chandra Tendulkar and Prakash Mayekar. Phaterpekar consulted Goa coach Vivke Kolambkar, who had failed to get a response from Asnodkar. The decision to drop Asnodkar for the games against Assam and Jammu & Kashmir was unanimous.”We wanted to send a message that this was not in the interests of the team,” Phaterpekar said. If Asnodkar does not face further disciplinary action he will be eligible for selection for the home game against Hyderabad starting on November 29. Asnodkar remained unavailable for a comment.Asnodkar had become popular during the first IPL in 2008, when Shane Warne called him ‘the Goa Cannon’ because of the aggressive starts he gave Rajasthan Royals. In the team document designed at the beginning of the season, Warne’s note to Asnodkar read, “set up the innings with clever stroke play and use your strong wrists. Run like a rabbit between the wickets. Must be one of the shining lights in the field.”

Trinidad & Tobago put in a clinical performance against Jamaica in the final to win their second consecutive Caribbean T20 title, and once again qualify for the lucrative Champions League T20

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2012Trinidad & Tobago put in a clinical performance against Jamaica in the final to win their second consecutive Caribbean T20 title, and once again qualify for the lucrative Champions League T20. Dwayne Bravo played a sensible innings to take T&T towards a decent total; Kieron Pollard, in one 26-run over, changed that from a decent total to a strong one; and then the miserly T&T spinners, along with Ravi Rampaul, choked Jamaica to make sure the victory was by a thumping margin.Dwayne Bravo’s innings was a crucial one, as it held together an innings that showed signs of falling apart. Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo had both been dismissed by the seventh over: Simmons was beaten in the flight by legspinner Odean Brown and edged to the keeper, and Darren Bravo also edged, while poking at an Andre Russell delivery.Dwayne Bravo showed immediate intent by pulling Russell for four in the ninth over, but lost both Adrian Barath and Denesh Ramdin at the other end in quick succession. Barath was stumped, trying to loft Brown over long-off, and Ramdin, who replaced Daren Ganga as captain before the tournament, was bowled by a Brown flipper.At that stage, T&T were 65 for 4 in 11.1 overs and in trouble. Dwayne Bravo reacted by lofting Brown for six and then hitting another six off Nikita Miller two overs later. He mixed caution and aggression, rotating the strike in between the big shots and was helped by the fact that Sunil Narine, at the other end, was scoring at a quick rate. Narine rushed to 22 off 15 balls, hitting two sixes, both heaves to the leg side off David Bernard’s medium pace.Pollard, who was later named Man of the Series, was initially happy to play second fiddle to Dwayne Bravo. He was dropped in the 18th over, by Marlon Samuels off Krishmar Santokie. It was the second catch Jamaica had dropped – Shawn Findlay put down a sitter to let Dwayne Bravo off the hook when he was on just 20 – and they would regret them both. Santokie, who should have had Pollard’s wicket, was subjected to a mauling by him in the final over of the innings. The second ball was driven for four past cover, and the next three were bludgeoned for sixes: one over long-on, one over long-off and one to midwicket. By the end of it, Santokie, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, had gone for 42 from his four overs.Chasing a big total, Jamaica had to get off to a quick start. Instead, they managed only five runs off the first two overs and lost a wicket in the most careless of manners in the third. Nkrumah Bonner, at the non-striker’s end, wanted a single when Danza Hyatt played the ball to Pollard in the circle, and could not get back in time when Hyatt declined the run. The next over, bowled by Ravi Rampaul, was a maiden, and the required run-rate had already shot up above 10 runs per over.Samuel Badree got rid of Marlon Samuels with a googly, he and Narine go through a few miserly overs, and when Dwayne Bravo had Hyatt caught in the deep in the eighth over, the match ended as a contest. Carlton Baugh played a few impressive strokes towards the end, including successive sixes off Rampaul to slightly spoil what would have been outstanding figures, but by that stage the required-rate had reached unachievable proportions.The margin in the end was an emphatic 63 runs, giving T&T revenge for their loss to Jamaica in final of the Regional Super50 tournament in October last year, and reinforcing their reputation as the best Twenty20 side in the Caribbean.”We have a great bunch of players in this team and a superb support staff and that is what did it for us. We are known as the Red Force and we showed we are a true force. We didn’t get it right in the first match, the Windwards gave us a kick up the backside, but we came back as a good strong force against Leewards and against Guyana as we found our range,” Denesh Ramdin said.”After that it was smooth sailing because we know we have match-winners in all departments. We actually thought that Jamaica would have been stronger in the final but our bowlers did a fantastic job in the first six overs and that squeezed them. After that we knew we had the trophy in our hands.”In the third-place playoff, Windward Islands thumped Barbados by seven wickets, with 13 balls to spare. Barbados chose to bat and were dealt severe blows in the second over, as Delorn Johnson knocked over three of their top four to reduce them to 4 for 3. Jonathan Carter and Alcindo Holder attempted to rebuild the innings with a steady stand of 68 from just under 12 overs. However another collapse ensued after Holder was run out and Barbados were bowled out for 101.Windward Islands lost Johnson Charles off the first ball of their chase, but Andre Fletcher and Devon Smith put them back on course with a 67-run partnership. After the pair was dismissed in quick succession, Miles Bascombe and Tade Carmichael steered them home without much drama.