Brathwaite all-round fireworks too much for Pride

CCC Marooners skipper Carlos Brathwaite (right) celebrates another wicket with Akeem Jordan and wicketkeeper Amir Jangoo.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite warmed up for next month’s tour of India with a scintillating Man-of-the-Match all-round performance as Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners stunned Barbados Pride by seven wickets here Wednesday.

The 30-year-old seamer claimed three for 21 from 10 superb overs as Pride, sent in at 3W’s Oval, were bundled out cheaply for 174 in the final over of their 50 allotted.

Opener Shayne Moseley struck a patient 49 and all-rounder Kevin Stoute, 37, but Pride’s top order once again struggled to string partnerships together.

Brathwaite, the Marooners captain, then shone with the bat, blasting an unbeaten 50 from 31 balls – his third List A half-century – as the hosts overcame a minor hiccup to reach their target in the 32nd over.

The barrel-chested right-hander smashed three fours and three sixes and was the catalyst for a match-winning unbroken 90-run, fourth wicket partnership with Jonathan Drakes who ended on 41 not out.

Kjorn Ottley chipped in with 42 while fellow opener Kyle Corbin scored 40, as Marooners put together their most clinical performance of the Regional Super50 to upset their neighbours.

The defeat left Pride still in fourth spot without a win in three matches and with all to do if they are to climb into the top two in Group B and qualify for the semi-finals.

Marooners, meanwhile, collected their second win and will now climb into second above Leeward Islands Hurricanes who failed to beat USA in the day/night contest also on Wednesday.

Pride endured a nightmare start when Leniko Boucher (2) and captain Shamarh Brooks (0) perished cheaply to leave the score on 13 for two in the seventh over.

Moseley and Jonathan Carter (11) added 27 for the third wicket but once Carter and Justin Greaves (7) fell in quick succession, Pride were tottering on 55 for four in the 21st over.

However, the left-handed Moseley combined with Stoute in the best stand of the innings – 40 for the fifth wicket – in a repair job for Pride.

While Moseley faced 87 deliveries and counted three fours, Stoute struck a four and a six in a 71-ball knock.

Brathwaite broke the stand when he bowled Moseley with a full length delivery in the 34th over and with six runs added two overs later, had Ashley Nurse caught and bowled for two.

Springer, who made 22, then anchored three small stands, enabling Pride to get up to their eventual total.

In reply, Kjorn Ottley and Corbin gave Marooners a solid start of 70, to further damage Pride’s hopes of an immediate comeback.

Ottley struck two fours and three sixes in an attractive 57-ball innings while Corbin was also free-scoring, counting six fours and a six off just 46 balls.

When former West Indies left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claimed Corbin lbw in the 15th over, it triggered a slide that saw three wickets fall for 18 runs as Amir Jangoo (3) and Ottley followed in the space of 32 deliveries at the hands of West Indies off-spinner Ashley Nurse.

But any hopes Pride had of turning the tables on Marooners were quickly dashed as Brathwaite took control of the encounter with a dashing innings, in tandem with Drakes who faced 46 deliveries and struck four fours.

Brathwaite ended the game in style with two consecutive sixes off Windies teammate Ashley Nurse who finished with two for 43.