Memorable Primus century despite defeat

by Keith Holder

It was heartbreak for Roshon Primus to be on the losing side after his swashbuckling, maiden century for Barbados Pride against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the first semi-final of the CWI CG United Super50 Cup in Antigua on Wednesday.

In the Day/Night match, which produced over 600 runs, Barbados lost by 10 runs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Chasing 313 to win, they finished on 302 for eight with all-rounder Primus blasting an unbeaten 130 off 80 balls including 10 fours and nine sixes.

When one considers that Barbados were struggling on 145 for six off 29.3 overs, it was a commendable effort.

The 27-year-old Primus and Akeem Jordan, who scored 33 off 43 balls, added 94 in 13.3 overs for the seventh wicket.

Jordan’s dismissal, run out as he attempted a run off a wide ball down the leg side from fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, was a telling setback.

Jomel Warrican was bowled off the very next ball.

But the burly Primus, with a never-say-die attitude, took charge with support from Camarie Boyce, who made 13 not out off 16 balls.

They put on 63 off 6.5 overs – a spirited effort in the circumstances.

Off the final over from Gabriel, 17 runs were needed. Primus pulled the first ball to the midwicket boundary but managed only two runs off the remaining balls.

Gabriel finished with four for 43 off 10 overs.

Primus made no secret about his disappointment in not getting his team into the Final.

“Pretty gutted right now that I couldn’t bring the guys over the line. In Bajan terms, I brought the guys to the sea and I let them drown,” he said.

After losing the toss, Trinidad & Tobago made 312 for six off 50 overs, having recovered from two for two by the third over with seamer Jordan removing Kjorn Ottley (one) and Jason Mohammed (nought) in successive balls.

The recovery was led by Amir Jangoo and Darren Bravo, who put on 92 in 20.5 overs for the third wicket and then Jangoo and captain Nicholas Pooran added 147 in 20.4 overs for the fourth wicket.

Player Of The Match Pooran hit the top-score of 111 off 82 balls with five fours and eight sixes, Jangoo made 81 (115 balls, 6 fours, 1 six), Bravo 54 (65 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) and Akeal Hosein 42 (20 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes).

Medium-pacer Shamar Springer took four for 64 off nine overs and Jordan, two for 31 off 10 overs.

Primus said he was inspired by Pooran’s knock.

“After watching Pooran’s innings, all I was thinking was that I could do the same. So I just went out with my mind clear and said I was going to play a special innings for my team.

“In the latter part of the innings, all I was saying was I need a 20-run over and then it should be smooth sailing from there.”

Pooran acknowledged that Primus, who represented Trinidad & Tobago in 2016 and 2017 in one-day and four-day Tournaments – he made his debut in both formats for T&T – played a brilliant innings.

“Primus stole the show tonight. Credit goes to him. That was a fabulous innings.

“The only way we were going to lose this game was if someone played a special innings and that was definitely a special innings. Primus took his chances and played very well,” Pooran said.

Over 600 runs were also scored in the other semi-final yesterday as Jamaica Scorpions, led by captain Rovman Powell’s unbeaten century (105), beat Guyana Harpy Eagles by three wickets with 11 balls remaining.

As far as the Tournament is concerned, of batsmen with over 100 runs going into the Final tomorrow, Primus has the best strike rate of 140.15, having scored 178 runs (Ave: 89.00).

Getting an opportunity to return to the Barbados team after missing out last season – he played five Super50 Cup matches in 2019 – must be a big relief for Primus. He has played 14 first-class, 24 List A and 26 Twenty20 matches.

From a local perspective, he has made an impact with the bat for Wanderers in all three formats this season.

Primus was the second highest run-scorer in the BCA T20 Championship with an aggregate of 453 including two centuries and two half-centuries, at an average of 75.50 in nine matches.

As examples of his power-hitting, he hit 132 not out off 75 balls with 14 fours and seven sixes in a total of 205 for five off 20 overs against Yorkshire at Friendship, and an unbeaten 122 off only 44 deliveries including 11 fours and 10 sixes against Foundation, chasing a target of 196 at Dayrells Road.

In the Super Cup, he played only two matches, scoring 184 runs with one century – 106 (95 balls, 9 fours, 1 six) against Police at Weymouth. And in his only match in the on-going Elite division Championship against title challengers Wildey at Dayrells Road, he slammed 163 (148 balls, 19 fours, 6 sixes).

Looking at the Barbados averages in the Super50 Cup, Roston Chase was outstanding with both bat and ball in three matches before leaving for the West Indies two-Test series in Australia.

Chase scored 143 runs including two half-centuries and also averaged 143.00. He was the joint highest wicket-taker with seven, boasting of the best economy (3.63) and best average (15.57) from 30 overs.

Two other bowlers picked up seven wickets – rookie leg-spinner Javed Leacock (Econ: 5.45; Ave: 28.85) and Springer (Econ: 5.87; Ave: 26.00).

Left-arm spinner Warrican took six wickets (Econ: 4.52; Ave: 46.50); medium-pacer Jonathan Carter, six (Econ: 5.43; Ave: 20.83); left-arm fast bowler Ramon Simmonds, five (Econ: 6.55; Ave: 26.20); medium-pacer Primus, five (Econ: 7.41; Ave: 38.80); left-arm spinner Boyce, four (Econ: 4.08; Ave: 26.75); Jordan, three (Econ: 4.14; Ave: 58.00) and off-spinner Nicholas Kirton one (Econ: 4.82; Ave: 169.00).

Apart from Primus and Chase, four other batsmen scored over 100 runs – captain Shai Hope 311 (Ave: 51.83); Zachary McCaskie 199 (Ave: 33.16); Kirton 126 (Ave: 25.20) and Kyle Hope 111 (Ave: 27.75).

Veteran Carter was a major disappointing, scoring only 67 runs (Ave: 11.16) with a highest of 45 in the semi-finals.

Last year, Carter was the top Barbados batsman with 305 runs including one century and two half-centuries (Ave: 61.00).

Summarised scores of the semi-final matches:

Trinidad & Tobago beat Barbados by 10 runs.

Trinidad & Tobago 312/6 (50 overs) (Nicholas Pooran 111 – 82 balls, 5 fours, 8 sixes; Amir Jangoo 81 – 115 balls, 6 fours, 1 six; Darren Bravo 54 – 65 balls, 7 fours, 1 six; Akeal Hosein 42; Shamar Springer 4-64, Akeem Jordan 2-31).

Barbados 302/8 (50 overs) (Roshon Primus 130 not out – 80 balls, 10 fours, 9 sixes; Jonathan Carter 45, Nicholas Kirton 35, Akeem Jordan 33, Shai Hope 24, Camarie Boyce 13 not out; Shannon Gabriel 4-43).

Jamaica beat Guyana by three wickets.

Guyana 318/9 (50 overs) (Shimron Hetmyer 86 – 76 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes; Sherfane Rutherford 56 – 43 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes; Kevin Sinclair 45 not out, Leon Johnson 30, Romario Shepherd 28, Anthony Bramble 22, Tevin Imlach 20, Kemol Savory 15; Odean Smith 5-65, Nicholson Gordon 2-55).

Jamaica 322/7 (48.1 overs) (Rovman Powell 105 not out – 92 balls, 7 fours, 3 sixes; Brandon King 64 – 49 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes; Alwyn Williams 45, Andre McCarthy 22, Odean Smith 19, Jeavor Royal 18 not out, Dennis Bulli 17, Chadwick Walton 11; Gudakesh Motie 3-48, Nial Smith 2-73).

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com