ST AUGUSTINE, Trinidad, CMC – Seasoned left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn combined with left-hander Jonathan Carter to deliver Barbados Pride a nervy four-wicket win over ICC Americas, in their opening game of the Regional Super50 here yesterday.
Opting to bowl first at the UWI Sports and Physical Education Centre, Pride limited the Americas side to 183 all out off 43.1 overs, with Man-of-the-Match Benn ending with four for 40.
Off-spinner Ashley Nurse picked up three for 23 while pacer Justin Greaves claimed two for 19.
Alex Amsterdam top-scored with an enterprising 73 while Nitish Kumar struck 25.
Carter then stroked an unbeaten 55 while captain Kevin Stoute chipped in with 40 as Pride reached their target in the 43rd over after a few stumbles.
They were struggling somewhat at 126 for six in the 32nd over but Greaves joined Carter to hit a precious 23 not out in a 58-run, unbroken stand for the seventh wicket.
The partnership countered spells of two for 30 from leg-spinner Timil Patel and two for 36 from seamer Timroy Allen, which threatened to undermine the innings.
Pride lost the dangerous Dwayne Smith cheaply for two at 18 for one in the fourth over but Stoute and Shamarh Brooks, who scored 12, added 48 for the second wicket to stage a recovery.
Both fell in the space of 20 deliveries to leave Pride tottering on 69 for three in the 15th over before Carter posted 26 for the fourth wicket with Roston Chase who made 14.
Once again, Americas struck a crucial blow at a key moment when Patel had the right-handed Chase caught at cover by captain Ruvindu Gunasekara in the 22nd over at 95 for four.
Americas then picked up two more wickets for the addition of only 31 runs as Kenroy Williams (21) and Mario Rampersaud (0) departed in quick succession.
Carter, however, took control of the innings in a knock that came from 84 balls and included two fours and a six.
Greaves, in his first regional one-day game, faced 32 balls to stay with Carter and ensure Pride reached their target with time to spare.
Earlier, Amsterdam rescued his side with a bold innings after Americas were reduced to 110 for eight in the 30th over.
He struck ten fours and one six in an 87-ball knock, putting on 66 for the ninth wicket with Hammad Shahid who made 11.
Scoreboard
ICC AMERICAS
*R Gunasekera b Greaves 2
S Taylor c Benn b Greaves 17
N Kumar c & b Nurse 25
S Wijeyeratne b Smith 9
A Amsterdam c Chase b Benn 73
N Dhaliwal c Benn b Nurse 3
T Patel c Nurse b Benn 12
T Allen b Nurse 1
D Ahmed c Greaves b Benn 6
H Shahid c & b Benn 11
J Gordon not out 6
Extras (b1, lb4, w13) 18
TOTAL (all out, 43.1 overs) 183
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-42, 3-62, 4-67, 5-77, 6-96, 7-101, 8-110, 9-176, 10-183.
Bowling: Best 6-0-36-0 (w2), Greaves 5-0-19-2 (w2), Smith 6-0-19-1 (w2), Stoute 7-0-21-0 (w1), Nurse 7-0-23-3 (w2), Benn 9.1-1-40-4 (w4), Chase 3-0-20-0.
PRIDE
D Smith c (sub) b Allen 2
*K Stoute lbw b Ahmed 40
S Brooks b Allen 12
J Carter not out 55
R Chase c Gunasekera b Patel 14
K Williams c Taylor b Patel 21
+M Rampersaud b Kumar 0
J Greaves not out 23
Extras (lb 2, w12, nb3) 17
TOTAL (6 wkts, 42.5 overs) 184
Did not bat: S Benn, T Best, A Nurse
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-62, 3-69, 4-95, 5-124, 6-126.
Bowling: Gordon 5-0-32-0 (w3, nb3), Allen 6-0-36-2 (w7), Ahmed 10-1-36-1, Patel 10-0-30-2, Shahid 2-0-8-0 (w1), Kumar 7-0-23-1, Amsterdam 10-0-3-0 (w1), Dhaliwal 10-0-9-0, Gunasekera 0.5-0-5-0
Result: Barbados Pride won by four wickets.
Toss: Barbados Pride
Umpires: P Gustard, N Duguid.
