NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Barbados crushed hapless Leeward Islands by an innings and 49 runs inside three days here yesterday, to leave themselves with a slim chance of winning the WICB President’s Trophy.
Starting the day needing to accumulate as many points as possible, Barbados steamrolled the Leewards for 183 all out just before lunch, to walk away with 17 points from the Regional Four-Day encounter at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
The victory took them to 82 points, ahead of pre-series leaders Trinidad and Tobago who started with 72 points and are playing Guyana in Georgetown.
Barbados were spearheaded by speedster Fidel Edwards who claimed four for 24 while off-spinner Ashley Nurse took three for 94 and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, two for 52. Once against Devon Thomas led the Leewards fight with a top score of 60 but failed to find major support from his teammates. Captain Kieran Powell added just eight to his overnight 23 while Jahmar Hamilton chipped in with 29. The Leewards finished the preliminary round with 42 points.
Resuming the day on 54 for two, the Leewards suffered an early setback when Powell was taken at slip by Benn off Nurse, with the score on 66.
