Breakout League: Latiff spins Rainforest Rangers to 1st win

In what was a must-win match for the Guyana Rainforest Rangers on Sunday night, 17-year-old leg spinner Riyad Latiff blew away the Leeward Islands Thunder, leading to a 52-run victory for the Guyanese side at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.

The previously unbeaten Leeward Islands Thunder won the toss, opting to bowl first after which the Rainforest Rangers went on to post a massive 189-5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Kevlon Anderson led the charge with his second half-century of the tournament – 52 off 45 balls, while Rivaldo Clarke also helped Guyana to a quick start, hitting 23 off 13 deliveries.
Ronaldo Alimohamed put on a show, slamming three fours and three sixes in his 20-ball 40 while Kevin Sinclair had a strike rate of about 150, hitting 39 in 24 deliveries, including three sixes.
Near the end of the innings, Quentin Sampson added a quickfire 17 to get the Guyanese to 189.
Leewards’ Elroy Francis and Michael Palmer both claimed two wickets apiece.
The chase was a rocky one for the Thunder, whose wickets were picked up regularly by the Guyanese bowlers.
Jediah Blades got the ball rolling, dismissing Kofi James in the very first over of the chase, while Ashmead Nedd followed up by removing Mikyle Louis in the 8th.

However, Latiff’s introduction put the Rainforest Rangers firmly in control as he bowled four overs on the trot, sending Nathan Edward, Jewel Andrew, Karima Gore and Elroy Francis back to the dugout for figures of 4-25. Blades picked up 2-31 from 4 while Sinclair and Nedd had one scalp each.
Edward topscored for the Thunder with 28 while Louis and Anderson Mahase both hit 24, allowing Leewards to get to 137-8 in their 20 overs, well over 50 runs short of the target.

Following the win, the young leggie Latiff shared his thoughts on his performance and the conditions in Tarouba.
“Well, you know, going into the game tonight, I’m just looking to bowl stump to stump. Obviously, I didn’t get wickets in the last game, so I just come out in this game looking for wickets,” Latiff shared in a post-match interview.
The teenager added, “Well, bowling with the wet ball, I find it a bit difficult. It’s all about experience and so I just follow it up and bowl wicket to wicket.”
The Guyana Rainforest Rangers will head back into battle today, Tuesday, taking on the Barbados Pelicans from 14:00h at the same venue.