by EZRA STUART
in Guyana

TERRIFIC TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO are truly the undisputed kings of one-day cricket in the Caribbean.
Daren Ganga’s calypso cricketers retained the WICB President’s Cup title when they thoroughly thrashed traditional rivals Guyana by 81 runs in the day-night final at the National Stadium at Providence on Thursday.
The triumphant Trinidadians posted an imposing 286 for six in their allotted 50 overs and then routed Guyana for 205 in 44.2 overs, after the home side had slumped to 129 for eight.
Trinidad collected the US$10 000 first prize for their efforts.  

Fresh from reaching the final of the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India, Trinidad and Tobago outplayed Guyana in all facets of the game to lift their third one-day title in the last four years and a record tenth overall in the tournament since its inception in 1976.

“It is great feeling. I must commend all the guys for the effort they put out,” Ganga said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Coming back from India, it was always going to be tough for us to transition from 20-overs cricket into 50-overs cricket, but all credit to the guys, I think the adjusted well.
“The manner in which we played tonight, it showed that we deserved to be champions.
“Tough luck to Ramnaresh Sarwan and Guyana. I think they played good cricket as well, but in the end you must have one winner.

Stylish left-hander Daren Bravo top-scored for the twin-island republic with 76, laced with six fours and two sixes off 106 balls, batting at No. 3.
But it was burly all-rounder Kieron Pollard who delivered the telling blows with bat and ball to claim the Man Of The Match award, pummeling 57 off 50 balls before returning to take three for 38, including the key scalps of the tournament’s leading run-scorer Narsingh Deonarine (two) and the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul for a “duck” in consecutive overs.

In reply, the Guyanese chase started disastrously as opening bowlers pacer Ravi Rampaul and leg-spinner Samuel Badree stifled the scoring, conceding just three runs in the first five overs.

Sewnarine Chattergoon’s dismal run continued when he was trapped LBW by Rampaul for two, while Travis Dowlin, with a mere single off his first 21 balls, struggled to get the ball away. He eventually made 41 off 70 deliveries.

Dowlin showed more enterprise late in his innings, adding 89 in 15.4 overs for the second wicket-wicket with his captain Sarwan. But once he was out in the 21st over, Guyana dramatically collapsed, losing their next six wickets for a mere 37 runs in nine overs.