It will be a repeat of last year’s semi-final tonight at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, when Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago face each other in the 2008 West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President’s Cup limited overs final.
Barbados reached the final yesterday by demolishing the Leeward Islands by 168 runs in the second semifinal last night at the same venue.
Despite losing the wicket of captain Jason Haynes (00) who was adjudged lbw to the very first delivery of the second over from Chad Hampson, Barbados still managed to accumulate 295-5 from their 50 overs.
The Leeward Islands in reply were bowled out for 127 from 37.5 overs.
Opener Dale Richards (62) and Ryan Hinds (75) added 126 runs for the second wicket from 22.5 overs as they went about ‘Operation Recovery.’
Richards started things off with a flick to long leg of Gavin Tonge but Hinds came into his own in the following over when he drove Hampson through extra cover for four.
Hinds subsequently upped the temp, striking Hampson over mid on for four and when Runako Morton introduced Tonito Willet into the attack, Hinds greeted him with a pugnacious front foot drive followed by a pull over midwicket for another boundary.
The two batsmen were finally dismissed within 12 runs of each other, Richards via the run out route whilst Hinds was bowled by Justin Athanaze.
Richards’s 50 came from 41 balls with eight fours and one six whilst Hinds’ 50 came off 70 deliveries with seven fours and one six.
Dwayne Smith with 82, and Kevin Stoute, with an unbeaten 40 continued to plunder the hapless looking Leewards’ bowling.
Smith struck Wilden Cornwall over mid wicket twice for maximums and Tonge over midwicket for a six and a four as the pair added 101 runs for the fifth wicket as the Bajans avenged their loss to the same opponents in the preliminary round.
Leeward Islands were immediately placed on the back foot by Smith when they began their reply who accounted for Kieran Powell (03) and Morton (00) off successive deliveries.
He also took the wicket of Austin Richards (10) as the Leewards slipped to 18-3 after six overs.
The Leewards were obviously banking on Omari Banks but Pedro Collins had him caught by Tino Best at mid on and then knocked back Cornwall’s leg stump to leave the Leewards struggling on 27-5 after nine overs.
When Devon Thomas (00) and Tonge were lbw to Best and Hinds (1-38) respectively, Leeward Islands were 51-7 in the 17th over.
But Tonito Willet (51) and Justin Athanaze, who was left unbeaten on 36 added 47 runs for the sixth wicket to add some respectability to their team’s innings, with Willet hitting five fours and one six during his innings.
Willet, whose 50 came from 61 balls, was bowled by Kenroy Williams which left the Leeward Islands’ staring down the barrel of defeat on 98-8 in the 28th over.
Hampson (02) was run out and Athanaze was dropped by Smith off Williams before Smith held a running catch to dismiss Anthony Martin.
Smith ended with 3-16, Collins with 2-19 and Williams, 2-29.
