POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad (CMC):
Teenager Jason Mohammed hit a chancy, maiden first-class hundred and shared two record-breaking partnerships to pull Trinidad & Tobago out of danger in their semi-final of the 2005-06 Carib Beer Series against Windward Islands on Friday at Guaracara Park.
The 19-year-old Mohammed, playing in only his second first-class match, lived a charmed life on his way to an undefeated 124 and paved the way for Trinidad & Tobago to reach a respectable first innings total of 255 after they chose to bat.
In an hour and 20 minutes before stumps were drawn on the opening day, Windwards had subsided to 37 for four, losing the important wicket of West Indies opener Devon Smith in the final over of the day.
Smith was caught behind essaying a cut shot to give spin bowler Dave Mohammed his second wicket, after he had earlier claimed Junior Murray caught at silly point for a duck.
Richard Kelly, whose 58 and record sixth wicket partnership of 124 with Mohammed had pulled T&T out of trouble, had already removed Romel Currency lbw for eight and Craig Emmanuel comprehensively beaten and bowled between bat-pad for one.
The most telling performance, however, came from Mohammed, vice captain of the Young West Indies side that contested this year's ICC Youth World Cup in Sri Lanka. He hit 14 fours and one six from 221 balls in close to three hours of batting.
Atrocious fielding from the Windwards that conceded no less than four chances and purposeful batting from Mohammed, Kelly and Jaggernauth let the hosts off the hook, after Windwards had T&T on the ropes in the first hour-and-a-half at 42 for five.
Mohammed broke an eight-year-old record for the sixth wicket against the Windwards with Kelly, and then put on 84 for the last wicket with Jaggernauth, who made 38, but was fortunate to bat as long as he did.
After Craig Emmanuel muffed the last of Mohammed's three chances with the batsman three runs away from his landmark, the former Young T&T captain cut a short, wide delivery from Sammy through square cover for a boundary to reach the milestone.
He and Kelly took the attack to the Windwards after lunch in a partnership that eclipsed the previous T&T mark of 117 against these opponents set by West Indies batting superstar Brian Lara and current T&T head coach David Williams 14 years ago at this venue.
The breakthrough for the Windwards came when Kelly was deceived by a slower delivery from Darren Sammy and was caught at extra cover after batting 2-1/4 hours in which he struck 10 fours from 83 balls.
Kelly was the first of four wickets that fell in the space of three overs to set T&T back on 214 for nine at tea.
Reyad Emrit was caught at second slip off Sammy for four, Mervyn Dillon was caught at slip off George for a duck, and Dave Mohammed was caught at square cover of the same bowler also for a duck.
Mohammed and Jaggernauth prolonged the agony however, until 49 minutes after the afternoon break with a stand that erased the national standard of 61 between Ian Bishop and Mukesh Persad against Barbados nine years ago at Queen's Park Oval.
The winner, or the team gaining first innings advantage if the match ends in a draw, will qualify for the Final, starting next Saturday at either the same venue, the Three Ws Oval in Barbados, or Bourda Oval in Guyana, depending on the combatants' final positions in the preliminary competition.
