TT beaten by NSW Blues
The Trinidad and Tobago cricketers were not at their best today as they lost to New South Wales by 41 runs in the Airtel Champions League championship in India. However, they have won the hearts of Indian cricket fans and cricket lovers, internationally.
What a difference a day makes!
Yesterday, the Trinidad and Tobago cricketers easily whipped the Cape Cobras in the semifinals of the Airtel Champions League championship; today Daren Ganga’s men came up short in the finals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad,India, losing the finals against The New South Wales Blues by 41 runs.
“We cracked under pressure”, captain Daren Ganga admitted afterwards.
One week ago, a blazing innings of 54 by Kieron Pollard was mainly responsible for Trinidad and Tobago defeating New South Wales. Pollard tried but couldn’t repeat his heroics. He was eight out for 26 off 15 balls with the score on113 and 47 more needed in and 31 balls remaining, he tried to lift Nathan Hauritz out of the ground for another six but was caught by Brett Lee on the long on boundary.
Trinidad and Tobago had New South Wales on the ropes with the score on 83 for 6 in the 12th over but in came Brett Lee who swung the game around with some big hitting. He smashed five sixes and one four. He had a 49 run partnership with Steve Smith who made 33 and Lee was out in the last ball of the final over bowled by Ravi Rampaul for 48. The Blues ended their innings at 159 for 9.
It was a “gettable” total but Trinidad and Tobago started badly losing William Perkins who exposed his stumps and swung at the second ball from Lee sent down at express pace and had his stumps shattered. It was 1 for 1. Barath perished, caught behind, chasing a wide ball from after hitting and it was 21 for two and in Brett Lee’s next over Lendl Simmons tried to smash the bowler to long on only to give him a return catch.
The writing was on the wall when Dwayne Bravo played on off Doug Bollinger and it became worse when Daren Ganga cut Stuart Clark into the safe hands of cover with the score on 68.Five wickets gone and 92 to get in only 10 overs.
Ramdin and Pollard tried to do a repair job but with the score on 93 the little wicketkeeper hit Stuart Clarke straight to cover.
When with 25 balls left Dave Mohammed became Clarke’s second victim in the over caught in the deep, the Trinidad and Tobago dream had ended. TT were bowled out for 118.
New South Wales received US$2.5 million and the Airtel Trophy for winning the competition while Trinidad and Tobago were presented with US$1.3 million.
Brett Lee received the “Man of the Match” award for his fine all round effort and also the US$25,000 “Man of the Series” award. Ravi Rampaul got the best bowling performance award for his figures of 3 for 20 and Pollard got the US$25,000 prize for the most sixes,(16), in the tournament.
Trinidad and Tobago might have lost on the big occasion but they won the hearts of Indian cricket fans with their sparkling cricket and can return home with their heads held high.
Before the tournament, they were not seen as one of the teams that would challenge for the Airtel Trophy: they have now put Trinidad and Tobago on the map.