Trinidad and Tobago won their first match in the Red Stripe Bowl over Leeward Islands at the Alpart Sports Club, Jamaica, but if the crowd expected the Brian Lara brand of entertainment, they were sorely disappointed.

Leeward Islands, batting first, scored 174 for eight in fifty overs, Runako Morton top-scoring with 56. The batsmen, however, had to grind out their runs slowly as Trinidad and Tobago bowlers Mervyn Dillon and Dinanath Ramnarine, who also won the toss as captain, picked up two wickets apiece.

Trinidad opener Andy Jackson scored a rapid 45 off 33 balls, giving his side such an advantage in terms of the run-rate that, when the second innings was adjusted according to the Duckworth-Lewis method, Trinidad found themselves comfortably placed. Needing to make only 105 within 34.4 overs, the side made 145 with Richard Smith making an unbeaten 40. Lara made a patient 20 off 46 balls with a solitary boundary, a sign that he is still rusty from his long break.

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