BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados Pride may be on a two-game winning streak by head coach Henderson Springer still is not comfortable with the manner of those victories.
The defending champions pulled off a pulsating 11-run victory over Windward Islands Volcanoes at Arnos Vale on Monday, to follow up their stunning two-run victory over leaders Guyana Jaguars in the previous round.
These victories have seen Barbados rush up the standings to third spot following a luckless start to the new WICB Professional Cricket League but Springer wants to see improvement.
“It is good that we could have won to go into the off season with some good momentum but I still think we can play a better quality of cricket,” the former Barbados off-spinner said. “Those games have been too close for myself. I think we have got to prepare in the second half [of the competition] to play a better quality of cricket.” In the last round, Barbados set the Windwards a target of 207 for victory and seemed on the road to defeat when the hosts rallied to 191 for seven.
However, Barbados struck back to claim the last three wickets for four runs in the space of eight balls, to snatch victory.
Their third round victory was even more nerve-wracking. Setting Guyana just 69, the reduced the hosts to ten for four before dismissing them for 66, to spark dramatic scenes on the final day at the National Stadium at Providence.
Springer said, however, that with the first class season breaking for the Christmas holidays and the one-day tournament starting in January, this winning streak could prove vital.
“We can use this winning momentum to move into the one-day series in January and then at the end of the one-day series we build again to complete the first class tournament,” he pointed out.
Barbados’ campaign was ravaged by rain on early on, forcing both their opening games to finish in frustrating draws.
The adverse weather allowed just 14.4 overs on the final day of their first round match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Queen’s Park Oval when they were well placed for victory, and then washed out the first three days of their encounter against Jamaica at home.
They sit third on 44 points, behind leaders Guyana on 57 and second placed Jamaica on 50 points.
