AN UNBEATEN 90 by Jyd Goolie led the TT Red Force to their second win of the 2024 West Indies Four-Day Championships with a six-wicket win over the previous undefeated Windward Islands Volcanoes in round four at Queen's Park Oval, St Clair yesterday.
Red Force were in a shaky position on 10/2 chasing 186 for victory heading into the final day yesterday. Left-handed Goolie, who scored a century earlier in the season, anchored the Red Force innings to steer the home team to victory.
It was not all smooth sailing as Red Force lost nightwatchman Bryan Charles early in the day's play and were reduced to 21/3. Shamar Springer grabbed a sharp catch fielding in the covers to dismiss Charles for four to give fast bowler Ryan John the wicket.
Veteran Jason Mohammed joined Goolie and the pair added 50 runs for the fourth wicket with the latter doing the bulk of the scoring. As the match started to swing in favour of Red Force, spinner Darel Cyrus bowled Mohammed for 15 to leave the score 71/4.
Volcanoes were now thinking they were in with a chance of victory, but Goolie found an able partner in captain Joshua Da Silva. Only a brief rain delay shortly after lunch stopped the pair's progress.
Goolie, with his parents in the stands, started to eye a century. However, with his century and victory in sight, he was forced to retire hurt on 90 not out with a hamstring injury. Goolie faced 213 balls and struck nine fours.
Tion Webster, who cracked 107 not out in the first innings, came to the middle. There was no further loss for Red Force as they closed on 186/4 to wrap up the win.
Da Silva ended on 53 not out off 97 balls with six fours and Webster was one not out.
After the match, Da Silva said he avoided scoring in the closing stages to give Goolie an opportunity to score a century.
He told Newsday, "Unfortunately Jyd at the end got injured, but I am pretty sure he would have gotten the hundred if he was out there. I would have tried to make sure he got it."
Da Silva said someone had to step up on the final day and Goolie did that. "Somebody had to bat a lot of time and be on one end and it just happened it was him. He is the man in form right now."
On the result, he said, "There is not much more you could hope for than a win. Coming back playing at home in the oval especially, we want to make somewhere in Trinidad our fortress where we could say we could beat people."
Red Force have scored three centuries so far this season as Mohammed, Goolie and Webster have all reached the milestone.
"Anderson (Phillip) started well with the ball getting five (wickets), Tion got a 100, so it is nice to see that in almost every game somebody got a 100 and went through. To chase 180-odd is never that easy especially on a pitch that is up and down, so really excited and happy with how the boys performed."
All the other matches were nail-biters. Leeward Islands Hurricanes defeated Leeward Islands Hurricanes by three wickets; Jamaica Scorpions pulled off a two-wicket win over West Indies Academy; and Guyana Harpy
