Canada ends with a loss

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- Trinidad & Tobago and the Windward Islands sealed semi-final spots in the Caribbean Twenty20 cricket competition in contrasting fashion on a rain-hit Thursday at Kensington Oval.

Defending champions Trinidad & Tobago were convincing winners over Canada by eight wickets on Duckworth/Lewis method, while Windward Islands snuck home in a much closer contest, scoring the winning run on the last ball to beat Guyana by five wickets.

Canada got off to a rousing start through openers Hiral Patel and Ruvindu Gunasekera, who added 43 in 6.2 overs.

But once Dwayne Bravo changed the course of the innings with three quick wickets and Kevon Cooper claimed a wicket and a brilliant run out, Canada slumped badly and failed to pass three figures, being limited to 99-9 off 20 overs.

Ravi Rampaul took 4-26 and Bravo 3-20.

In the run chase, Trinidad & Tobago lost two early wickets, and Adrian Barath to a controversial obstructing the field dismissal. But Darren Bravo (42 not out) and Denesh Ramdin (30 not out) shared a stand of 59 to see their side home, reaching the revised target of 91 off 18 overs with only two wickets down and with 17 balls to spare.

The Windward Islands topped Zone A after they got home by five wickets, also on Duckworth/Lewis method.

Guyana totalled 140-8 off 20 overs on the back of captain Chris Barnwell's topscore of 32. Opposing captain Darren Sammy claimed 3-11.

The Windwards' innings was interrupted twice by rain but they managed to get to a revised target of 119 off 16 overs with a scampered leg bye off the final delivery.

Johnson Charles anchored the chase with 65 off 43 balls with three fours and three sixes. Devon Smith contributed 25 not out.

West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo claimed 3-15 for Guyana.

Summarised scores:

Match 1: Trinidad & Tobago beat Canada by eight wickets (Duckworth/Lewis method).

Canada 99-9 off 20 overs (Hiral Patel 32, Ruvindu Gunasekera 23; Ravi Rampaul 4-26, Dwayne Bravo 3-20).

Trinidad & Tobago 91-2 off 15.1 overs (Darren Bravo 42 not out, Denesh Ramdin 30 not out).

NB: Trinidad & Tobago' target was 91 off 18 overs.

Match 2: Windward Islands beat Guyana by five wickets (Duckworth/Lewis method).

Guyana 140-8 off 20 overs (Chris Barnwell 32, Sewnarine Chattergoon 27, Trevon Griffith 17, Veerasammy Permaul 15 not out).

Windward Islands 119-5 off 16 overs (Johnson Charles 65, Devon Smith 25 not out; Devendra Bishoo 3-15, Royston Crandon 2-35).

NB: Windward Islands' target was 119 off 16 overs.

ENDS