BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Tino Best produced a memorable spell of fast bowling to help Barbados formalise a 98-run victory over Windwards Islands in the WICB regional first-class championship yesterday.
Best ripped-out five wickets for 41 runs from 12 overs bowling with pace, hostility, and accuracy on a hard, true Kensington Oval pitch, as Windwards, chasing 273 runs for victory, were dismissed for 174 in their second innings on the fourth and final day of their day/night, fourth round match.
This followed Barbados declaring their second innings closed on 292 for seven about 55 minutes after the scheduled start.
Kevin Stoute formalised the result about 40 minutes after the scheduled tea break, when Kenroy Peters drove him to extra cover, where substitute fielder Kyle Hope held a regulation catch.
Stoute finished with three wickets for 16 runs from 7.1 overs.
The result meant that Barbados fortified their second place, moving to 33 points, three behind current leaders and reigning champions Jamaica.
“We have a number of match-winners in our team, and Tino is one of them,” said Barbados captain Ryan Hinds.
“I thought it was a great cricket game. We fought all the way. . .I thought the guys rallied well under the pressure, and play good team cricket.”
He added: “It was a pretty good pitch. It played well on all four days. I thought we batted really well, particularly in the second innings, and we came back [on Monday] and everything fell into place.”
Windwards will gain four points, after gaining a first innings lead from the Barbadians, and they will move to 16 points.
“For the last three days, we were able to dominate, but it was just the last couple of hours where we became too complacent,” said Smith.
“We came with the idea that we would push them, and not let them get too far ahead of us as possible. We expected them to declare, and give us a chance.
He continued: “We thought we had a good chance, but once I was dismissed, the slide started.”
Barbados made an early breakthrough, when Tyrone Theophile was lbw to Best for three in the second over of the Windwards’ chase.
But the Barbadians looked under siege, when Andre Fletcher joined Smith, and they added 122 for the second wicket either side of carrying Windwards to lunch on 54 for one.
After lunch, the Barbadians continued to feel the pressure, as the two Windwards batsmen chased the hope of a second straight win in as many years at the same venue.
Fletcher reached his 50 from 61 balls with a triple to deep mid-wicket off leg-spinner Nikolai Charles, and Smith reached his 50 from 86 balls with a single to long-off from the same bowler.
Just when it appeared that Barbados would strike the panic button, Best pulled the choke, and the made the breakthrough about an hour after lunch, when left-hander
Smith was surprised by a short, rising ball, and was caught at square cover. The Windwards’ captain struck seven boundaries from 90 balls in 107 minutes.
Barbados sensed they were on the trajectory to victory, when Fletcher was caught behind off Pedro Collins about half-hour later. He struck 11 fours and one six from 101 balls in a 130 minutes.
The Barbadians however, knew victory was inevitable, when first innings century-maker Liam Sebastien gave wicketkeeper Patrick Browne the second of his five catches off Best for eight to leave Windwards 155 for four.
Barbados captain Ryan Hinds failed to hold onto a difficult chance at gully, when Lyndon James, on zero, sliced a drive at a delivery from Best, but the fast bowler did not have to wait long to celebrate again.
Best bowled James for 10 with a perfectly-pitched Yorker to leave Windwards 171 for six at tea.
After tea, Stoute provided the spark with Rawl Lewis and Shane Shillingford falling cheaply, before Best collected his fifth scalp, when he had Deighton Butler caught behind for one.
Stoute completed the demolition job, as Windwards lost their last five wickets for three runs in the space of 42 balls in 35 minutes of sheer bedlam.
Earlier, Barbados resumed from their overnight total of 250 for four, and none of their lower-order batsmen distinguished themselves as the hosts beefed-up their total.
Shillingford was Windwards’ most successful bowler with three for 76 from 31 overs, and Nelon Pascal ended with two for 54 from 15 overs.
In the next round, starting on Friday, February 12 in Guyana, the hosts face Barbados at Albion Sports Complex, and Windwards meet Leeward Islands at Bourda Oval.
