POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad, (CMC) - Virgil Browne grabbed seven wickets for 123 runs on debut to lead a Leeward Islands fightback against Trinidad & Tobago on the opening day in the opening round of the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series at Guaracara Park yesterday.
Browne, a 28-year-old from Nevis, troubled all the batsmen despite half-centuries from Shazam Babwah, Tishan Maraj and skipper Imran Jan.
When stumps were drawn, the home team, after being asked to take first strike by the visitors closed on a competitive 293 for eight. Pacer Marlon Black is not out on three and debutant off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth is yet to score.
The 26-year-old Babwah fashioned an exciting 94 to share the honours with Browne after an intriguing day’s play in the ‘oil refinery’.
Babwah excited the small, but enthusiastic crowd with an innings of grit and determination, which spanned 168 minutes and 141 balls and was laced with 12 fours and two sixes.
Babwah shared in a fighting fifth-wicket partnership of 110 in just under two hours with Young West Indies selectee Tishan Maraj, who stroked a resolute 61 that warmed the hearts of the diehard supporters in South Trinidad.
Maraj, the former West Indies Under-15 captain, batted for 156 minutes and 134 balls and struck nine fours.
Earlier, Jan with 55 and West Indies A-Team batsman Dwayne Bravo with 26 gave T&T a solid start by posting 75 for the first wicket before the latter was caught and bowled by Browne.
The left-handed Jan looked the part by showing great responsibility, but with the score on 95, he tried to sweep Browne and played the ball into his stumps.
At lunch, the T&T team was nicely poised on 100 for two, with Maraj on 10 and debutant Ricardo Powell three. On the resumption, and in the second over after the interval, Powell tried to heave Browne over the top and was smartly stumped for three by Jason Williams, who showed a clean pair of gloves during the innings.
T&T was reduced to 107 for four when Browne bowled left-hander Aneil Kanhai for two. But the pair of Maraj and Babwah batted responsibly to repair the early damage.
In-between, Maraj brought up his first half-century at this level with a boundary of Tonito Willett. His milestone came in 125 minutes and 113 balls and contained eight fours. Not to be outdone, Babwah reached his landmark with a huge six over the long-off boundary from the bowling off Browne.
At tea, T&T had consolidated their position on 203 for four, with Babwah on 54 and Maraj 53. On the restart, T&T suffered a setback when Maraj gave Browne his second caught and bowled dismissal in the innings. The 19-year-old University student returned to a resounding ovation from the spectators.
Babwah added 47 for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Gibran Mohammed before he was deceived in flight and was stumped by Williams off the probing Browne.
A tearful Babwah in his second four-day, first-class match for T&T returned to a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.
Towards the end, T&T lost Mohammed for 22 and Reyad Emrit for 13.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 1st innings
I.Jan b Browne 55
D.Bravo c and b Browne 26
T.Maraj c and b Browne 61
R.Powell stp. J.Williams b Browne 3
A.Kanhai b Browne 2
S.Babwah stp. J.Williams b Browne 94
+G.Mohammed c wkpr J.Williams b Jeremy 22
R.Emrit c (sub.) Powell b Browne 13
M.Black not out 3
A.Jaggernauth not out 0
Extras: (b-1, lb-2, nb-11) 14
Total: (8 wkts) 293
Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-95, 3-105, 4-107, 5-217, 6-264, 7-290, 8-290.