Trinidad and Tobago knock Chargers out of Champions League

Spirited Trinidad and Tobago defeated Deccan Chargers by 3 runs in a thrilling encounter at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium and knocked them out of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament. The 2009 Indian Premier League champion paved way for Somerset in the second round.

Deccan Chargers were restricted to 30/3 in the 5th over but had skipper Adam Gilchrist (51) playing well at the other end. His wicket in the 12th over became the turning point for once, but Venugopal Rao played a brilliant cameo towards the end, hitting 30 runs off just 19 balls to give his side a chance.

Man of the Match Dwayne Bravo took 3 crucial wickets to hand his side a stunning win and Somerset a berth in the Super Eights.

Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago set a winning target of 150 runs for Deccan Chargers. William Perkins scored 38 off 32 balls while Kieron Pollard made 31 off just 14 deliveries. Pollard uncorked some lusty shots towards the fag end to lift his side to a competitive total, hitting four sixes in his crucial 31-run cameo off just 14 balls. Perkins' 38 came off 32 balls with the help of six hits to the fence.

Fidel Edwards, who was barred from bowling in the last match for firing two beamers, made amends by taking three wickets, including one that of Pollard.

The Caribbean batsmen took some time to settle on the pitch which offered some resistance to paceman initially. Edwards made a good start by trapping Lendl Simmons (7) in the first ball of his second over.

Next man in, left-handed Darren Bravo also struggled against a charged up Edwards for the first few balls before playing an exquisite cover drive for four. RP Singh struggled with his run-up and bowled three consecutive no-balls, resulting in free-hits even though the batsmen could not make the most of those.

Perkins welcomed Scott Styris with consecutive boundaries and the Caribbean side was off to a decent if not spectacular start. Darren (14) flicked one off T Suman to bring up fifty for his side but the spinner had the last laugh in the next ball when he pouched a return catch.

More shock was in store for Trinidad and Tobago as two balls later a direct throw by Andrew Symonds from mid-off found rival skipper Daren Ganga, trying to steal a run, short of crease. Gilchrist shuffled his bowlers and by the ninth over he had used six different bowlers.

Perkins continued good batting from one end, hitting Pragyan Ojha for a four and Symonds for a six to take his team to 75 at the half-way mark. Perkins also got a life when Venugopal Rao dropped him at deep-midwicket off Ojha.

Gilchrist called Edwards for his second and the paceman responded with the wicket of Perkins, trapping him in front. Suman dropped Dwayne Bravo (11) off RP Singh at point but made amends as he swiftly grabbed the ball and with a direct hit ran the West Indian out.

Pollard infused life into the Trinidad and Tobago innings by hitting Ojha and Suman for mighty sixes in consecutive overs. He did not even spare Edwards, hitting him for a flat six, before being bowled by the same bowler.