WEYMOUTH, Barbados (CMC):

The two Darens - Bravo and Ganga - made contrasting half-centuries, as Trinidad and Tobago made painfully slow progress in the WICB four-day regional competition against Barbados yesterday.

Bravo was unbeaten on 59 and Ganga, the T&T captain, made 56, as the visitors, choosing to bat, reached 124 for three in their first innings when the close came two overs early on the rain-marred opening day at the Police Sports Club which is hosting its maiden first-class match.

Bravo and Ganga added 68 for the fourth wicket to help stabilise T&T, after they declined to 66 for three in the middle of the afternoon.

Ganga batted circumspectly for four and a quarter hours to hold the top half of the batting together before he was caught at mid-off off Ryan Hinds' steady, if not clever left-arm spin.

Kept tempo going

By then, left-hander Bravo, the widely-acclaimed Brian Lara carbon copy, was into his stride. He continued from where his captain left off, and kept the tempo going with some delightful strokes.

A searing cover drive off Kemar Roach, a fluid drive through mid-off from Dwayne Smith, and a lofted six off West Indies left-arm spin bowler Sulieman Benn were a joy to behold.

But the weather which delayed the second period by half-hour and cut 50 minutes from the final period prompted a slightly earlier than scheduled close and more of the Bravo show.

T&T had suffered an early setback, when opener Adrian Barath was caught behind for a three-ball duck in the first over of the match.

Ganga joined left-handed opener Justin Guillen and they spent nearly 1-3/4 hours repairing the early damage with a stand of 50 for the second wicket.