分类： sports

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba sets the stage for a poignant CG United Super50 Cup final showdown on November 29, where Trinidad and Tobago Red Force confront Barbados Royals in a match laden with historical significance and emotional undertones. This championship clash represents more than mere silverware—it marks the final 50-over appearance for veteran all-rounder Jason Mohammed, 39, whose distinguished career concludes amid his team’s pursuit of regional glory.

Under the leadership of captain Joshua Da Silva, Red Force advanced decisively to the final with an emphatic eight-wicket semi-final victory over Leeward Islands Hurricanes on November 27. Da Silva, yet to secure a senior national title as skipper, emphasized the critical importance of disciplined execution against Barbados’ seasoned lineup. “We must play intelligent cricket,” he stated. “Barbados possesses considerable experience, but our focus remains on sustaining quality performance throughout to reclaim the title.”

The tournament’s narrative has been persistently interrupted by adverse weather conditions throughout Trinidad, resulting in multiple abandoned matches. Red Force emerged atop the six-team standings with three victories from five outings, while Barbados secured second position with two wins amid three rain-affected fixtures. Despite these disruptions, TT’s comprehensive semi-final triumph established formidable momentum entering the championship decider.

Strategic reinforcements have strengthened Red Force’s campaign, particularly the inclusion of international batsman Amir Jangoo following opener Kjorn Ottley’s tournament-ending back injury. Jangoo’s unbeaten 72 during the semi-final, complemented by Tion Webster’s 83 and Jyd Goolie’s 23 not out, demonstrated the squad’s batting depth at crucial moments.

Mohammed’s impending retirement adds profound sentimental dimension to the contest. The all-rounder stands as the competition’s all-time leading run-scorer with 3,815 runs—a achievement he describes as allowing him to “lift my head high and say I’ve done good things for TT cricket.” His farewell coincides with head coach Rayad Emrit’s opportunity to secure his maiden Super50 trophy since assuming leadership.

Both squads present formidable lineups: TT features Da Silva’s strategic captaincy alongside experienced campaigners including Cariah, Charles, and Webster, while Barbados counters with international quality through Mayers, Brathwaite, and Jordan. The final promises competitive intensity heightened by historical context and personal narratives, transforming a cricket match into a compelling sporting spectacle.

In a thrilling display of 3×3 basketball prowess, Trinidad and Tobago’s national team delivered a spirited performance against Canada during their opening Group C match at the 2025 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup in León, Mexico on November 28. Despite a spectacular individual effort from star guard Ahkeel “Smally” Boyd, the Caribbean squad ultimately succumbed to a 21-16 defeat against their North American opponents.

The game commenced with Boyd establishing immediate dominance, single-handedly scoring Trinidad and Tobago’s first five points. The dynamic guard initiated the scoring with a crafty layup before stepping beyond the arc to sink a dramatic two-point shot, granting his team an early 3-0 advantage. However, Canada’s Jerome Derosiers shifted the momentum with a crucial jumper that propelled his team to a 5-4 lead—an advantage they would maintain throughout the remainder of the contest.

Boyd’s exceptional performance culminated in a game-high ten points, including three impressive shots from deep range. His final long-distance conversion brought Trinidad and Tobago within striking distance at 18-16 with just over one minute remaining in the fast-paced ten-minute encounter. Despite this late surge, Canada’s experienced players demonstrated composure under pressure. Steve Sir connected on a critical jumper to extend the lead to 20-16, before Grant Audu sealed the victory with an uncontested layup following precise ball movement from Derosiers.

Supplementary scoring for Trinidad and Tobago came from center Tyrik Singh with three points, while Boyd’s brother Ahkeem “Fato” Boyd contributed two points to the team’s total.

The tournament journey began promisingly for the Trinidadian squad during the qualification phase, where they secured three consecutive victories. Their campaign commenced with a dominant 21-7 triumph over St Kitts and Nevis, followed by a hard-fought 21-18 win against Uruguay, and concluded with a default victory against Bahamas. The Boyd brothers were instrumental in these successes, combining for 17 points in the opener against St Kitts and 15 points in the crucial matchup against Uruguay.

Following the Canada match, Trinidad and Tobago prepared to face Argentina later that evening. The tournament structure mandates that the top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals scheduled for November 30, with the championship finale set for 8:55 PM that same evening.

In a thrilling conclusion to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premiership division season, Naparima College captured their sixth league title under the current format with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Signal Hill Secondary on November 27th. The championship marks a triumphant return for head coach Angus Eve, who previously guided the southern school to back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 before his stint with Trinidad and Tobago’s national teams.

The title race came down to the final matchday with three teams separated by just three points. Naparima’s victory at Lewis Street in San Fernando propelled them to 37 points, narrowly edging out southern rivals St Benedict’s College (36 points) and Signal Hill Secondary (34 points). The Tobago-based Signal Hill squad saw their championship hopes dashed despite a late consolation goal from Raevion Marshall via an 83rd-minute penalty.

Eve, who concurrently coaches TT Premier Football League side Club Sando, acknowledged the challenges of returning to school football after his time with national teams. ‘There were a lot of adjustments for me,’ Eve told reporters amid the celebrations. ‘I thought there were a lot of good teams in the league. There are a lot of well-organized teams and you saw that with four teams fighting for the title up to the last day.’

The veteran coach implemented a strategic shift in his approach this season, emphasizing both defensive solidity and attacking freedom. Naparima conceded just eight goals in 15 matches while scoring 42—the fourth-highest total in the division. ‘We want to play efficient football,’ Eve explained. ‘We allowed the players in the front part of the pitch to express themselves and have the freedom to play within the structure of the team.’

Eve paid tribute to previous Naparima coaches Reynold Carrington, Travis Mulraine, and Anthony Sherwood while emphasizing the importance of understanding the school’s football culture. ‘Sometimes, if you don’t know the culture of the place, you may not perform to the optimum in the environment,’ he noted.

The championship victory demonstrates Eve’s continued coaching prowess as he balances multiple roles while maintaining his reputation for developing organized, difficult-to-beat squads capable of delivering results when it matters most.

In a commanding display of cricketing prowess, Barbados Pride secured the CG United Super50 Cup championship on November 29th, defeating Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a convincing nine-wicket margin at Tarouba’s Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The final match unfolded as a low-scoring affair that highlighted Barbados’ strategic superiority both with ball and bat.

TT Red Force, batting first after being put in, suffered a dramatic collapse that saw them dismissed for a modest 168 runs in 42.3 overs. Their innings never gained momentum despite opener Tion Webster’s promising start of 43 runs. The team’s veteran all-rounder Jason Mohammed, playing his final List A match, could only contribute 12 runs in what proved an anticlimactic farewell to his distinguished career spanning 140 one-day matches since 2007.

Barbados’ bowling attack demonstrated exceptional discipline, with Joshua Bishop emerging as the standout performer claiming 4 wickets for 27 runs. Dominic Drakes provided crucial support with identical figures of 4 wickets for 34 runs, systematically dismantling TT’s batting lineup through consistent line and length bowling.

The chase became a formality as Barbados openers Kyle Mayers and Leniko Boucher launched an aggressive assault on TT’s bowling. Boucher set the tempo with a brisk 50 runs off 51 deliveries before departing, while Mayers remained unbeaten on 89 runs from just 85 balls, showcasing powerful hitting that included multiple boundaries and sixes. Zachary McCaskie provided steady support with 19 not out as Barbados reached their target of 169 runs in merely 29.3 overs.

This victory marks Barbados Pride’s first Super50 Cup triumph since 2017, denying TT Red Force captain Joshua Da Silva his first senior title and coach Rayad Emrit his maiden coaching crown. The comprehensive nature of Barbados’ win underscored their tournament dominance and served as a fitting tribute to their strategic preparation and execution throughout the competition.