NORTH SOUND – Breathtaking batting – led by a brutal, unbeaten 56 from Kieron Pollard – fired Trinidad and Tobago to a 167-run victory over Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament on Wednesday.
The win – easily the most lopsided in a regional T20 – restored the gloss on the defending champions.
Pollard blasted two fours and seven sixes – an amazing CT20 record five in the penultimate over off feisty Leewards captain and West Indies leg-spinner Anthony Martin before completing his 50 from just 14 balls – two balls more than Indian Yuvraj Singh’s world record.
The knock propelled Trinidad and Tobago to 211 for three from their allocation of 20 overs after they chose to bat in the Group A match at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
“Everyone is fully aware that I’m not at full fitness but I had a job to do for Trinidad and Tobago,” said Pollard, the Star of the Match.
“I’m able to bat but I can’t run around in the field and dive around and obviously I can’t bowl as yet either.
“I’m still working to try to get up to 75 per cent [fitness level]. When I do, there will be more to come. The best is yet to come!”
Lendl Simmons supported with a similarly enterprising 56 that included six fours and three sixes from 39 balls, and fellow West Indies opener Adrian Barath struck five fours and two sixes in 54 from 46 balls in establishing a new T20 record opening stand to launch the rampage.
It was the highest team total in the three-year history of the CT20 and was just two runs short of the regional record set by Nevis against Antigua and Barbuda six years ago at the Stanford Cricket Ground (now the Sticky Wicket Stadium).
New-ball pair of leg-spinner Samuel Badree, with three wickets for 18 runs from four overs, and Ravi Rampaul, two for six from four overs, foiled any Leewards hope of mounting a serious challenge early.
Sunil Narine followed up with four for nine from two overs, as the “hosts” were dismissed for a world record low of 44 in 12.4 overs.
Chesney Hughes’ 16 was the only double-digit score for Leewards.
Trinidad and Tobago will face Guyana in their third match today at the same venue. The Leewards will meet Canada. (CMC)