Former West Indies and Barbados middle-order batsman Floyd Reifer fought a valiant but futile battle for the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) against Trinidad and Tobago at the 3Ws Oval yesterday.He was last out for 64 as CCC capitulated to defeat after an initially encouraging second innings effort. Here he guides a delivery past wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. (Picture by Brooks LaTouche)

by HAYDN GILL

FOR THE second time in a month, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago will come face-to-face in a virtual semi-final.

Trinidad and Tobago's nine-wicket victory over Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC)at the 3Ws Oval yesterday carried them one point ahead of Barbados after the penultimate round
of Carib Beer matches.

With Jamaica securing the Cup on Saturday after moving to an unassailable 58 points, it comes down to the final round match between second-placed Trinidad and Tobago and third-placed Barbados starting March 28 to determine which team move forward to meet Jamaica in the Challenge final beginning April 24.

Trinidad and Tobago's easy win against CCC, completed an hour after lunch on the third day, took them to 43 points and with Barbados on 42 points, Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga
is looking forward to the showdown at Guaracara Park.

The match follows their riveting Stanford 20/20 semi-final on February 22 when Trinidad and Tobago prevailed over Barbados by five runs when defending a total of 120.

"We are licking our lips for that game against Barbados. All of our encounters have been keenly contested games. It is a final for both teams. The guys are looking forward to the challenge,"
Ganga said.

Yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago hardly had any problems against CCC after the resistance they encountered on Saturday.

Trailing by 240 on first innings, the Caribbean students resolutely batted out the final two sessions to close the second day on 185 for three, but they could only extend it to 275 yesterday before they were dismissed just after lunch.

It left Trinidad and Tobago with a straightforward target of 36 that was attained for the loss of one wicket.

Floyd Reifer was the only CCC batsman to offer prolonged resistance yesterday with a battling 64 that stretched more than two-and-a-half hours before he was last out.

Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul produced a couple of telling yorkers to finish with three wickets in the second innings.

Added to his three first innings scalps and his entertaining 58 batting at No. 10, they earned him the Man of the Match award