Lewis, Rampaul star as Red Force prepare for Regional Super50
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — West Indies T20 batting star Evin Lewis smashed a half-century and former Test seamer Ravi Rampau grabbed a four-wicket haul as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force continued their preparation for next February’s Regional Super50.
Playing at Brian Lara stadium in Tarouba on Wednesday, the left-handed Lewis top-scored with 80 as Imran Khan XI chased down the Denesh Ramdin XI’S 175 to win comfortably by nine wickets.
Lewis, who missed the recent T20 tour of New Zealand citing injury, belted 80 off 48 deliveries – with eight sixes and two fours – to dominate the Ramdin XI bowling.
He put on 126 for the first wicket with left-hander Jeremy Solozano who played a supporting role with 58 from 97 balls, striking four fours and a six.
When Lewis eventually retired Tion Webster chipped in with 21 towards the end.
Earlier, Ramdin picked up four for 27 as Ramdin’s XI was bowled out for 174 in the 46th over, with leg-spinner Imran Khan claiming two for 26.
The 36-year-old Rampaul has played 18 Tests and 62 One-day Internationals but has not featured in five years for West Indies.
First class left-hander Isaiah Rajah top-scored with 61 off 92 deliveries while Yannic Cariah chipped in with 27 and another left-hander, Amir Jangoo, 21 not out.
Newly appointed Red Force Head Coach David Furlonge said preparations for the upcoming tournament would be further ramped up next month.
“Hopefully, with Government’s approval, we’ll have six or seven 50-over games in January but in a more competitive setting,” Furlonge told The Guardian newspaper.
“We’ll have it in a zonal format and after that we’ll pick the T&T [Red Force] team and to give the guys who didn’t make the team by picking a ‘B’ side and play a couple games against the Red Force team before that team goes to the regional competition.”
The Regional Super50, staged by Cricket West Indies, is carded to be played in Antigua and Barbuda from February 4-27.