Charles and Pierre spin Red Force to playoff victory

ST JOHN’S – Trinidad & Tobago Red Force’s spin duo of Khary Pierre and Bryan Charles delivered a masterclass on the final day at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua on Wednesday, bamboozling Barbados Pride to secure a resounding 140-run victory in the West Indies Championship playoff.

Kharry Pierre was the architect of the collapse, finishing with figures of 5 for 54 from 19 overs.

Pierre was the architect of the collapse, finishing with stunning figures of 5 for 54 from 19 overs, while Charles provided the perfect supporting act with 4 for 62 from 16.3 overs as Pride crashed to 177 all out in their second innings.

Set a tricky 318 for victory, Barbados never recovered from early jitters. Former Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite was the first to go, caught behind off Jayden Seales for just four in the opening over.

Shayne Moseley and Jonathan Drakes steadied the ship somewhat by taking the score to 54, before Drakes was bowled by Pierre for 14.

Charles then got in on the act, as he sent back Moseley for a top score of 39 and Kevin Wickham for 19, to leave the Pride reeling at 85-4.

Pierre then snared the prized scalp of Roston Chase for 24 with the left-arm spinner, having a stranglehold on the middle order, when he had Kyle Mayers caught behind for 17, then trapping Leniko Boucher lbw for 20 and dismissing Shamar Springer for 25 to complete his five-wicket haul.

Charles then returned to clean up the lower order, removing Johann Layne and Jomel Warrican in quick succession to seal the result.

Earlier, Pierre had also made a vital contribution with the bat. Resuming on his overnight score of nine not out, the left-hander smashed 64 off 97 deliveries, including six boundaries, to propel Red Force’s second innings to 280 all out.

Overnight centurian Cephas Cooper added just one run to his score, before he went lbw to Joshua Bishop, who finished with six wickets for 87 runs. Roston Chase supported with 3 for 67.

The Red Force will now take on the Guyana Harpy Eagles in the Championship decider, as the Harpy Eagles wrapped up a comprehensive innings and 21-run win over the West Indies Academy in their warm-up game played at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

CMC

Summarised scores

RED FORCE 333 & 280 in 97.4 overs (Cephas Cooper 102, Kharry Pierre 64; Joshua Bishop 6-87, Roston Chase 3-67).

PRIDE 296 & 177 in 48.3 overs (Shayne Moseley 39, Shamar Springer 25; Kharry Pierre 5-54, Bryan Charles 4-62)

T&T Red Force won by 140 runs.