Monday 12th October 2009
Dwayne Bravo helps T&T sink Sabres
Dwayne Bravo claimed four wickets as Trinidad & Tobago beat Somerset Sabres by 44 runs in the Airtel Champions League Twenty20.
Denesh Ramdin was the calming influence in a trigger-happy T&T batting show, the wicketkeeper batsman top-scoring with a run-a-ball 39 in a total of 150 for nine in Bangalore.
Seamer Dwayne Bravo then claimed four wickets, and T&T's three spinners proved a handful in the middle overs as Somerset were bowled out for 106 off the last ball - leaving their chances of going through to the second round in jeopardy.
Click here to watch Trinidad and Tobago's innings
Somerset's hopes now rest on T&T beating the Deccan Chargers in the final group game. Should the Indian Premier League team prevail, Somerset's net run-rate could well ruin their chances.
It's all about numbers
T&T openers Lendl Simmons and William Perkins went for broke right from the start.
First change Ben Phillips took some punishment in his first over but soon got rid of Simmons.
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Charl Willoughby leaked 17 runs in his first two overs but returned to remove Perkins, number three Darren Bravo and later Kieron Pollard to finish the statistical pick with three for 35.
Those blows left the West Indies side 60 for four at the end of the powerplay.
Wrist spinner Max Waller - who saw off Darren Ganga - and left-arm orthodox Arul Suppiah slipped in good spells and restricted T&T.
Ramdin, dropped on 11 by Peter Trego in the deep, held the lower-order together and his run-a-ball 39.
Defending what looked a vulnerable total, Bravo quickly got the key wickets of opener Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter.
Click here to watch Somerset's innings
Off-spinner Sherwin Ganga then got rid of the experienced Justin Langer off the last ball of the powerplay to put T&T right on top.
Somerset managed a measly 28 from the first six for the loss of three wickets - and the spinners continued to dominate as the middle order caved in meekly.
Somerset needed 73 from the last four overs.
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Zander de Bruyn (43no) offered some hope. But when James Hildreth and Alfonso Thomas - heroes in the victory over the Deccan Chargers - were both run out, Somerset could not get close.
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Langer conceded: "We have made it hard for ourselves now.
See how Dwayne Bravo lost his wicket
"We are very disappointed. But Trinidad & Tobago played brilliantly - in all aspects of the game they beat us.
"It was quite fearless cricket - great Caribbean cricket - and it came off well."
Langer's opposite number Ganga had more to smile about.
"My boys played a fantastic game," he said.
"Our batting stuttered a bit. But we are very confident with our game."
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The teams:
Somerset: JL Langer*, ME Trescothick, Z de Bruyn, C Kieswetter†, AV Suppiah, PD Trego, JC Hildreth, BJ Phillips, AC Thomas, MTC Waller, CM Willoughby
Trinidad & Tobago: LMP Simmons, WKD Perkins, DJ Bravo, D Ganga*, DM Bravo, KA Pollard, D Ramdin†, S Ganga, D Mohammed, R Rampaul, S Badree
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