T&T ignite Group A

Denesh Ramdin twice found the ropes en route to a run-a-ball 39, which underpinned his side's victory

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Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin starred for Trinidad & Tobago to leave Somerset’s hopes of progression in the Champions League Twenty20 in the balance.

Bravo claimed four wickets to seal a 44-run triumph in Bangalore after Ramdin’s run-a-ball 39 had seen the Caribbean side to 150 for nine.

Somerset, for whom only Zander de Bruyn distinguished himself with 43 not out, were dismissed for 106 off the last ball of the 20th over.

Somerset’s hopes now rest on T&T beating Deccan Chargers in the final Group A game. Should the result favour the Indian Premier League team, Somerset’s net run-rate could well ruin their chances.

T&T won the toss and began with guns blazing, but their firepower soon fizzled through the loss of regular wickets.

Openers Lendl Simmons and William Perkins went for broke with some success, although poor technique ultimately proved their undoing.

First-change seamer Ben Phillips was expensive in his first over but secured the breakthrough by having Simmons caught at third man by Alfonso Thomas for 22.

Although Charl Willoughby leaked 17 from his first two overs, he returned to bowl Perkins as he played across the line. A sharp return catch did for Darren Bravo, while Kieron Pollard sliced a full toss to Arul Suppiah at point as Willoughby finished with 3-35.

Dwayne Bravo had departed moments after his brother - caught at short third man attempting to drive Max Waller - to leave T&T tottering on 60 for four.

Leg-spinner Waller also accounted for captain Daren Ganga en route fo figures of 2-27, while Suppiah’s four overs cost just 19.

However, Ramdin, who offered a tough chance to Peter Trego at deep midwicket on 11, held the lower order together with what proved to be the crucial innings of the game.

T&T defended their total superbly, Dwayne Bravo removing Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter cheaply inside his first two overs to put Somerset on the back foot early on.

T&T’s trio of slow bowlers then took over and when Justin Langer swept off-spinner Sherwin Ganga - brother of Daren - to square-leg off the last ball off the powerplay, they were firmly in control.

The spinners continued to dominate as the Somerset middle order caved in, pushing the required run-rate to more than 15 an over.

De Bruyn restored some respectability during his 39-ball innings, which contained three fours and a six, but Dwayne Bravo bowled Waller and Willoughby in the space of three balls to seal victory and earn him figures of 4-23.

The fact that Langer was the only other batsman to reach double figures summed up Somerset’s shortcomings.