KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) - Zone A of the Red Stripe Bowl got off to a damp start with Trinidad and Tobago winning by 13 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis system over the Leewards XI at the Sir Frank Worrell Oval on the University of West Indies Campus, Mona, Jamaica, yesterday.
Chasing the Leewards XI's 203 for six from 50 overs, Trinidad and Tobago got up to 102 for three from 25 overs when rain halted for the day.
With the necessary 25 overs bowled to constitute a game, Trinidad and Tobago were 12 ahead of the 90 runs they needed to secure the victory based on the Duckworth-Lewis calculations.
At the end, captain Daren Ganga steered his team along with a solid and composed unbeaten 49 as the Leewards bowlers made a fight of the game after their team were restricted to a total of just over 200.
Ganga hit four boundaries and put on 48 with Dwayne Bravo, who was the other not-out batsman on 17, when rain intervened at 3:22 pm and persisted for an hour and a half. Umpires Eddie Nicholls and Dalton Holder then decided that no more play was possible.
Trinidad and Tobago, after losing two early wickets, were made to work hard for their runs by the inexperienced but spirited Leewards attack.
Fast bowler Elsroy Powell struck in his first two overs for the Leewards XI, taking the wickets of openers Imran Jan (1) in the first over and Andy Jackson (10) in the third.
He was the only wicket-taker for the Leeward Islanders, finishing with two for 26 from five overs.
After the unsteady start, Trinidad and Tobago's two Test batsmen, Ganga and West Indies captain Brian Lara, put on 43 runs to blunt the Leewards.
Lara was needlessly run-out for 17, in the 11th over with the score on 54, when Ganga called him for a single and then turned him back.
Thereafter Ganga and Bravo worked the ball around to ensure that T&T remained above the required run rate at all times while keeping wickets in hand, with the rain threatening.
When the Leewards batted after winning the toss, they were given a bustling start by openers Alex Adams and Shane Jeffers, but then the Trinidad and Tobago spinners were brought into the attack to keep a tight rein and restricted them to their final total.
With the exception of their captain Stuart Williams and Tonito Willet, all the batsmen got decent starts but were unable to go on to huge totals.
Carl Tuckett made the best effort with 43 from 67 balls. He worked the ball around to accumulate his runs, striking only one four during his 76-minute stay at the crease.
Adams slammed four boundaries in his 32 but spent 78 balls compiling his runs while West Indies all-rounder Omari Banks ended unbeaten on 26 with one four.
Jeffers' contribution was a hurried 28, which included four cracking fours.
Left-arm spinner Dave Mohamed, who was Trinidad's most impressive bowler, took three wickets for 31 runs from his full 10-over spell.
West Indies leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine gave steady support with two for 38 from his 10.
The only other wicket-taker was Dwayne Bravo who opened the bowling alongside Merv Dillon and ended with one for 45 from nine overs.
Canada take on the Windward Islands at the Jamalco ground in game two today.
LEEWARDS XI innings
A.Adams c wkp. Jackson b Bravo 32
S.Jeffers c Kanhai b Ramnarine 28
R.Morton c Bravo b Mohamed 20
*S.Williams b Mohamed 9
C.Tuckett b Ramnarine 43
T.Willett c Babwah b Mohamed 3
O.Banks not out 26
+J.Williams not out 19
Extras: (b-1, lb-6, w-11, nb-5) 23
TOTAL (for 6 wickets - 50 overs) 203
Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-91, 3-98, 4-113, 5-121, 6-167.