My Carib Beer Second Round Stars
The second round of the 2003 Carib Beer cricket series saw some excellent individual performances from players across the region. From Azeemul Haniff (Guyana) to Cameron Cuffy (Windwards), the latest round produced some match-winning highlights -- with both ball and bat.
My all-star team from the second round of play is as follows...
Azeemul Haniff (GUY)
Lincoln Roberts (T&T)
Dwayne Bravo (T&T)
Aneil Kanhai (WI "B")
Kester Sylvester (WI)
Floyd Reifer (BAR)
+Carlton Baugh (WI "B")
Nehemiah Perry (JAM)
Ravi Rampaul (T&T)
Tino Best (BAR)
Cameron Cuffy (WI)
Reserves:
Philo Wallace (BAR)
Daren Ganga (T&T)
Olanzo Jackson (WI)
Omari Banks (LI)
Ian Bradshaw (BAR)
The most notable performances in the second round matches were double centuries from Lincoln Roberts (220) of Trinidad and Tobago and Aneil Kanhai (223) for the West Indies "B". What is also interesting is that those double ton knocks came in the same match -- Trinidad and Tobago vs Windies "B".
Other standouts in the T&T/Windies "B" match included a brilliant 114 from Dwayne Bravo, an eight-wicket haul from youth pacer Ravi Rampaul (5/53 and 3/55), his first 5-wicket haul in first class cricket. Wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh, Jr. (61 & 51), and Daren Ganga (67 n.o) also deserves mention. The performances of Roberts, Bravo, Rampaul and Ganga pushed T&T to an outright victory, despite a heroic performance from Aneil Kanhai (incidentally from T&T) to make it a close contest.
The Leeward Islands/Guyana contest saw two excellent performances in Azeemul Haniff (93 not out) and Omari Banks (6/57 and 1/85). Haniff's brilliant second innings knock of 93 not out, was crucial in bringing home outright victory for Guyana after they had conceded first innings points. Banks' first innings 5-wicket haul was in a losing cause but his performance was key in salvaging 4 points for the Leewards.
In the Windward Islands/Jamaica contest, Nehemiah Perry of Jamaica turned in the leading individual performance in that match, albeit in a losing cause. Perry had bowling figures of 4/69 and 8/62 along with batting knocks of 21 and a top score of 76 in the second innings. Other leading performances came from Kester Sylvester (113), his maiden first class century, Cameron Cuffy (3/28 and 5/70) and Olanzo Jackson (2/25 and 5/89), all for the victorious Windward Islands. Sylvester's ton was crucial in leading the Windward Islands back to a decent first innings total after his team had struggled at 53 for 5 in the first innings. Jackson also had crucial first innings knock of 54.
Finally, in the India "A"/Barbados match, the most important performances were from Tino Best (3/54 and 5/59) and Floyd Reifer's 105. Their contributions helped their team to beat India "A", comprehensively, by an innings and 77 runs. Other solid contributors for Barbados were Philo Wallace and Ian Bradshaw. India "A" had a solid bowling performance from Murali Kartik (5/105).
My choices for players of the round are Aneil Kanhai, Lincoln Roberts and Nehemiah Perry.
PS: Outstanding India "A" players will be highlighted but will not be included in the team or reserves.