Pooran takes T&T to final despite Primus’s prime time show

A sensational century from Roshon Primus and another from Nicholas Pooran highlighted an action-packed first semi-final of the CG United Super 50 on Wednesday night at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Primus’s back-to-the-wall heroics rattled Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, but the defending champions held their nerve to beat Barbados Pride by 10 runs and booked a spot in Saturday’s final.

Chasing 313 after captain Pooran lashed his maiden regional List A hundred of 112, Pride appeared to be out of the contest when they slumped to 146-6 in the 30th over. Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel ripped through the innings to finish with 4-43.

However, entered Primus at number seven to smash a quite astonishing unbeaten 130 from 79 balls which helped Pride claw their way back into the run chase and place Red Force under enormous pressure.

At the start of the final over, Pride needed 17 runs with Primus on strike and while the heavyset right-hander pulled the first delivery from Gabriel to the mid-wicket boundary, he could only muster two runs from the next five deliveries.

The powerfully-built Primus 10 fours and nine giant sixes – hefty blows on both sides of the ground – to post his maiden List A hundred in his 25th match. Crucially, he put on an invaluable 93 for the seventh wicket with Akeem Jordan, who struck 33 from 43 balls, before adding a further 63 in an unbroken ninth wicket stand with Camarie Boyce (13 not out).

Pooran had earlier produced special fireworks of his own, striking five fours and eight sixes in an 82-ball knock which pulled Red Force out of trouble and carried them to a tournament-high 312 for six off their 50 overs.

Left-handers Amir Jangoo with 81 from 114 balls and Darren Bravo, with 54 from 65 balls, also made half-centuries before Akeal Hosein arrived late on to add a 20-ball 42 which included three fours and three sixes, as he posted a whirlwind 53 off 26 balls for the sixth wicket with Terrance Hinds (nine not out).