BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Kjorn Ottley hit his maiden Super50 Cup century as Barbados Pride put one foot in the semi-finals with a comfortable four-wicket win over reigning champions CCC Marooners here Sunday.
The in-form Pride chased down an uncomplicated target of 208 at Warner Park, with the left-handed Ottley leading the way with an unbeaten 101 off 127 balls.
For Pride, it was their fifth win in six outings and it put them on 20 points, helping them to open up a significant eight-point gap on second placed hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the top of Group A.
The loss for Marooners, meanwhile, was the fourth in fifth matches and it virtually ruled them out of a place in the semi-finals.
They got half-centuries from Akshaya Persaud (55) and Sadique Henry (54) to reach 207 for nine off their 50 overs, after choosing to bat.
With the innings slumping at 96 for six in the 28th over, Persaud and Henry came together in a 76-run, seventh wicket stand to rescue their side.
Persaud, a 22-year-old left-hander in only his fifth List A match, struck four fours and a six in a 91-ball knock to complete his second half-century of the tournament, while Henry faced 69 deliveries and counted five fours and a six.
Much of the damage was done by West Indies fast bowler Miguel Cummins who snatched three early wickets to finish with four for 29 while off-spinner Ashley Nurse supported with two for 32.
In reply, Pride were given a handy start by Ottley who put on 74 for the first wicket with Leniko Boucher who made 25 from 44 balls with four boundaries.
Bouncer was looking set when he fished at a delivery from seamer and captain Carlos Brathwaite and was taken behind by wicketkeeper Gian Benjamin, diving to his right in the 15th over.
Nicholas Kirton (10) and captain Jonathan Carter (7) then fell cheaply as Pride stumbled, losing three wickets for 28 runs to be 102 for three in the 22nd over.
Ottley, however, stabilised the run chase, adding 33 for the fourth wicket with the in-form Kyle Mayers (19) before putting on a further 45 for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott who made a busy 25 from 28 balls with four fours.
All told, Ottley struck 10 fours and two sixes, reaching triple figures in the 45th over with a driven single to deep cover off Brathwaite.
