TnT party cricketers slammed

TnT party cricketers slammed

By DERSON CHARLES

CALLALOO cricketers, was the name given to TnT’s cricket team, which played against the Windward Islands in the fourth round match of the Carib Regional Cricket Competition at Shaw Park Tobago over the weekend.

Poor, sloppy fielding with a total of 14 dropped catches was the main reason the Daren Ganga-led team slipped to an embarrassing and shocking defeat in front of a stunned Shaw Park crowd.

The writing was on the wall from the onset, when the Windwards won the toss and elected to bat on a rain-shortened first day.

Heavy rains during the week leading up to the match affected the preparation of the pitch, giving the spinners a decisive advantage. There was seepage under the covers from overnight showers before the opening day, which resulted in a lengthy delay of play on the first day.

The match did not get underway until after tea and Windwards skipper Rawle Lewis had no hesitation in taking first strike after winning the toss.

TnT made two early strikes to leave the visitors at 48 for 2 but the drama unfolded on day two with the home team letting the Windward batsmen off the hook with a spate of dropped catches.

No fewer than eight chances went abegging and the Windwards capitalised and eventually got to a score of 218.

Man-of-The-Match DEIGHTON BUTLER

Man-of-The-Match
DEIGHTON BUTLER
is presented with
his award.

Cricket fan

This cricket fan came
fully decked to support
team TnT.

The visitors then made early inroads into the TnT batting with good bowling backed up by excellent fielding. Only West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin showed resistance with a top-score of 58 in a total of 162.

And with a deficit of 54 runs, TnT fielders did not support their bowlers again with another six catches spilled, causing one lady to remark: “Like them give the boys callaloo to eat. How deh hands slippery so?”

The homeboys were still in with a chance on the fourth and final day with an attainable target of 175 in just over two sessions.

TnT batsmen, however, failed miserably, crashing to 88 all out and handing the visitors a much-needed victory to keep alive their hopes for a semi-final spot in the final big four rounds of the competition.

Afterwards, Ganga lamented the poor showing of his team.

He told reporters that he was hurt and disappointed about the lackluster performance of his men.

“We just didn’t play up to our potentials,” he groused.

Ganga also confirmed reports that some of his players were spotted at late night parties held in the Sister Isle over the weekend.

“We did have a situation where some players broke the curfew,” he admitted.

“Dropping 14 catches in the game meant that we were always going to be behind the eight-ball and we would have to asses things and come up with the right combination for our game against Barbados this weekend,” he said.

Ganga also hinted that Brian Lara, the world’s premier batsman would be fit and ready for that now all-important game.

RAWLE LEWIS expresses delight ...

Windward skipper RAWLE LEWIS expresses
delight at the team’s performance.

TnT’s DAVE MOHAMMED hits out

TnT’s DAVE MOHAMMED hits out in the second innings.

Captain DAREN GANGA with glum-faced
teammates.

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