Lincoln Roberts Slams Unbeaten 107 for T&T

Middle order batsman Lincoln Roberts struck a flamboyant unbeaten 107 to guide Trinidad and Tobago to a formidable 310 for six in their opening Busta Cup game against the Leeward islands at the Queen's Park Oval Friday.

Roberts, who played one Test match for the West Indies against Australia in 1999, shared in three major partnerships including an unbroken 76 for the seventh wicket with Dave Mohammed (38), to put his team in the ascendancy
after the Leeward islands looked threatening with three wickets before lunch.

First he and debutant Aneil Kanhai (39) put on 52 for the fourth wicket but when Kanhai and Samuel Badree (12) , making his debut in the absence of skipper Richard Smith who was out with the flu, were dismissed within 29 runs, Trinidad and Tobago were 171 for 5.

However Roberts found useful support in Keno Mason (20) and the pair added 63 for the sixth wicket before Mason tried to on-drive the Leewards best bowler Kerry Jeremy (3-55) and was caught at mid-on.

Any thoughts of wrapping up the innings were put to rest as Mohammed and Roberts took their team to the close, adding 76.

Roberts who has batted 304 minutes and faced 221 balls, struck 13 fours in his innings. He reached his century with a pull off spinner Omari Banks which went to the fine leg boundary.

Earlier the Leewards captain Stuart Williams won the toss and when Jeremy removed Andy Jackson (16) and his new ball partner debutant Adam Sandford, dismissed stand-in skipper Imran Jan (19) and Denzil James (37), the decision looked good but Roberts remained unflappable to inspire his team's position.

Sandford (2-41) and Banks (1-61) were the other wicket takers for the Islands.