Stanford Superstars stifled Trinidad and Tobago to win the Stanford Twenty20 Super Series opener by a comfortable 22 runs on Saturday. After posting a modest 146-5, the Superstars - a West Indies all-star team - restricted Trinidad to 124-8 in its 20 overs at Stanford Cricket Ground. The star turn was ultimately from Superstars stand-in captain Sylvester Joseph with an undefeated 31-ball 45. He shared in a third-wicket stand of 55 with opener Travis Dowlin (35) to revive their innings after they were pegged at 34-2 in the eighth over. Joseph deputized for West Indies captain Chris Gayle, who withdrew from the game because his mother and brother were ill. World player of the year Shivnarine Chanderpaul also opted out. Joseph, who hammered two sixes off spinner Sherwin Ganga, also added a useful 39 for the fifth wicket with Kieron Pollard, whose 25 included a huge six over mid-wicket. After having opener Andre Fletcher (25) caught in the deep, Trinidad leg-spinner Samuel Badree captured his second wicket on the next ball when Ramnaresh Sarwan was bowled playing down the wrong line. Badree finished with 2-20 and seamer Navin Stewart took two late wickets for 2-33. The rich inaugural series continues on Sunday with England against English champion Middlesex.
