Trinidad and Tobago off-spinner Bryan Charles capped off his 2024 West Indies Championship campaign with another season-best performance which guided TT Red Force to a resounding victory by an innings and 125 runs, against hosts Jamaica Scorpions in the final round at Sabina Park on April 19.
Charles played the most instrumental role in dismantling the Scorpions' second innings score of 118 before tea on day three.
This, after Jamaica were sent back in to bat just before lunch, on the heels of their first innings total of 189 all out in the morning session, in reply to TT's first innings tally of 432.
Jamaica resumed the day's play on a shabby 159/9, trailing TT by 273 runs, and were eventually removed for 189 after Jeavor Royal (46) was bowled by Khary Pierre.
Trailing the Red Force's first innings score by 243 runs, Jamaica were sent back in to bat and capitulated under Charles' wizardry with the ball. He bettered day-two's season-best performance of 6/82 in 25 overs by snagging a stellar seven-wicket haul (7/43) in just 13.4 overs.
Scorpions' openers Javaughn Buchanan (33) and Carlos Brown (22) built a solid 50-run opening stand, but Charles showed early intent by having the latter caught by Amir Jangoo.
Charles struck again ten runs later as he had Kirk McKenzie (six) play into the hands of Pierre.
Red Force debutant Navin Bidaisee was entrusted with his first over in TT colours and he got off to a flying start by having Buchanan caught and bowled after three deliveries.
Charles turned the screws on a misfiring Jamaica team and had Justin Beckford (two) bowled and Pete Salmon caught by Cephas Cooper without scoring.
A quick-handed Joshua Da Silva provided Bidaisee with his second first class wicket as he had Abhijai Mansingh stumped for nine, which sent Jamaica reeling at 82/6.
Romaine Morris (15) and Royal (13) tried to save face in the middle order, but theirs was short-lived. Goolie latched on to a good catch in the slips to remove Morris off Charles' bowling and then new batsman Andre McCarthy perished without scoring, after facing two balls.
At 106/8, Pierre returned with the ball to scalp Royal (13), with none other than Charles at the end of the catch. Charles finished Jamaica off with Andrea Dennis (12) playing into the hands of Terrance Hinds, to seal an emphatic victory.
Altogether, Charles captured 13 wickets over two days and deservedly captured the man of the match award.
In other matches, table toppers Windward Islands Volcanoes need 304 runs to win with nine wickets remaining on the final day's play against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain. Volcanoes can lift the title with a victory.
Guyana Harpy Eagles also defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges by eight wickets at Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St Augustine while Barbados Pride lead West Indies Academy by 138 runs, with five wickets remaining. Harpy Eagles and Pride are also hoping to win the title. Red Force began the last round in fifth place.
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