PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A ruthless Barbados cricket team crushed archrivals Trinidad and Tobago by 227 runs inside three days here yesterday, to storm into the final of the Regional Four-Day Championship.
For the second time in as many days, Barbados produced a clinical bowling performance to send T&T tumbling for 128 all out, after the hosts had been set a challenging 356 for victory at Queen’s Park Oval. Discarded West Indies spinner Sulieman Benn claimed four for 35 while seamer Javon Searles picked up three for 22, to earn Barbados victory with an hour still left in the day’s play.
Benn, surprisingly not voted Man-of-the-Match, finished with match figures of nine for 63.
Earlier, Barbados added exactly 100 runs before being dismissed for 216 in their second innings, after resuming the day on 116 for five.
They were carried by Jonathan Carter who converted his overnight 38 into 52 and all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite who stroked an exciting unbeaten 45 off 68 balls with three fours and two sixes. Left-arm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh ended with four for 53 while fast bowler Shannon Gabriel took four for 78.
Unlike the first innings, T&T got a steady start from openers Adrian Barath (18) and Justin Guillen (18) who posted 34 for the first wicket.
The right-handed Barath, warming up for next week’s first Test against Australia, collected three boundaries in one over from fast bowler Tino Best before edging Benn to Shamarh Brooks at slip.
