RED FORCE flexed their muscle on day two of TT’s opening 2025 West Indies Championship fixture as they posted a mammoth 504/6 declared, with Combined Campuses and Colleges on 71/2, trailing by 433 runs in reply, up to press time in a day-night affair at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on January 30.
Veteran batsman Jason Mohammed slammed a record-breaking 176 runs as he and fellow overnight batsman Jyd Goolie (121) carried on to construct a solid 227-run first innings partnership.
In the process, Mohammed became TT’s highest century-maker in the four-day format with a record 14, surpassing former national captain Daren Ganga.
After openers Cephas Cooper (80) and Vikash Mohan (66) gave the hosts a healthy start, Mohammed and Goolie stood firm in the middle to post 303/2 after 85 overs, at stumps on the first day.
The duo showed aggression with the bat at the resumption and went on to achieve respective centuries in the first session. After Goolie pulled right-arm spinner Abhijai Mansingh for a boundary, he then sliced the bowler through square leg for another boundary to bring up his third first class century.
One ball later, Mohammed drove fast bowler Andre Bailey for four then took a quick single, three balls later, to bring up his historic 14th regional four-day century.
In celebrating, Mohammed removed both gloves, took off his helmet, put his index fingers in both ears and gestured that he was number one.
After 100 overs across both days, TT were sitting comfortably at 365/2. Goolie kept attacking and smashed Bailey for two more boundaries. On 121, Goolie tried to slog-sweep Avinash Mahabirsingh but top-edged to Andre Bailey, bringing an end to a spectacular 227-stance with Mohammed.
On Mahabirsingh’s final ball from this over, Mohammed slashed but edged to Akeem Jordan in first slip, who put it down — his second drop catch after messing up against Goolie earlier in the day.
New batsman Yannic Cariah joined compatriot Mohammed in the middle. He scored a fair 22 but was caught out by a diving Damel Evelyn close to the boundary.
At 430/4 after 121 overs, Mohammed still championed the attack as Tion Webster joined him at the crease. The right-handed Mohammed played some of his traditional shots around the ground and ticked closer to the 150-run mark.
The Barrackpore native chipped down the wicket to plaster Mansingh up and over for his first six of the innings while Webster swept him for four, two balls later.
Mohammed brought up another knock of 150, slicing Mansingh for a single.
The pair combined for a stern 49-run partnership before Webster skied one back to Mansingh to go out caught and bowled which carried TT to 479/5.
Red Force debutant and wicketkeeper Antonio Gomez (four not out) joined Mohammed.
The in-form Mohammed cut away for another single later on to bring up the 500-run mark and gestured to the Red Force dugout questioning if they were about to declare.
But with him on 171, en route to a possible double-century, TT played on. Mohammed then strut down the
