Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Bravo led by example with both the bat and ball
Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo and his brother, Darren, both excelled with the bat as they led their franchise to a heart-racing one-run win over the Antigua Hawksbills.
Bravo won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, he would have been pondering over whether he made the right decision as opening batsman Kevin O’Brien was clean bowled by Sheldon Cotterrell for just nine runs.
A 54-run partnership between Adrian Barath and New Zealand’s Ross Taylor soon swung things back in the favour of the Red Steel before Taylor was dismissed for 25.
Barath followed soon after as he was run out for 38 off 29 balls, which included three boundaries and a six.
The Bravo brothers stabilised the innings with a 73-run partnership at an outstanding run rate of 9.95 before the skipper was removed just four agonising runs short of his half-century.
Bravo’s 46 had come off 25 deliveries and included two boundaries and four sixes.
The younger Bravo ended up scoring 38 off 30 balls, which included four boundaries, as the Red Steel finished on an impressive 169 at the end of their 20 overs.
Kemar Roach was the pick of Antigua’s bowlers with two wickets, while Cotterrell and Rahkeem Cornwall both chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Just as the players were about to start the next innings, the heavens parted and the rain came, which led to a lengthy delay.
As a result of the rain, the Hawksbills needed 134 runs off 15 overs to win the match.
However, they got off to a rocky start as Cornwall and Kieran Powell were both dismissed cheaply.
A quickfire 28 off 23 balls from Australia’s Ben Rohrer, which included one boundary and two sixes, helped steady the innings before Rohrer was dismissed.
Rohrer’s dismissal sparked a collapse, which ultimately left the Hawksbills struggling at 106/7 halfway through the thirteenth over.
Heading into the last over, the Hawksbills needed 19 runs to win, but were just unable to reach their target despite a last ball six from Cotterrell.
Johnson Charles was the top-scorer for Antigua with 46 runs off 28 deliveries, which included four boundaries and four sixes.
Bravo, Sulieman Benn and Kevon Cooper all took two wickets apiece, while Delorn Johnson and Samuel Badree both snapped up one wicket each.