THE preliminary work has been done and Barbados’ T20 cricketers now have the real test tonight.

They will have to overcome the challenge of defending champions Trinidad and Tobago in the feature semi-final of 2012 Caribbean Twenty20 at Kensington Oval.

The 8 p.m. showdown, which is expected to be watched by a near-capacity Errol Barrow Bank Holiday crowd, will be preceded, at 4 p.m., by the other semi-final between the unbeaten Windward Islands and Jamaica.

Despite losing to Trinidad and Tobago last year at this same venue, Barbados may believe they have a psychological advantage, having beaten the Trinis twice when they last met in the UWI Cave Hill Campus Festival.

But the Trinidadians were without their three best players – all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard and fast bowler Ravi Rampaul – in that series.

Both teams have match-winners, with Barbados led by West Indies Test batsman Kirk Edwards and showcasing the dynamic Dwayne Smith, and Trinidad and Tobago featuring their million-dollar man Pollard.

Smith, who has been the talk of the town, has been in excellent form, smashing an unbeaten 49 against the Netherlands and 86 versus Jamaica, while he was cut short by a run out for 18 in the last game against Sussex.

But there is a school of thought that should Smith fall cheaply, Barbados’ batting could struggle unless the likes of experienced Ryan Hinds, Kirk Edwards and Alcindo Holder step up to the plate. Young wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich has shaped up encouragingly and there are others who can contribute with the bat.

For Trinidad and Tobago, Dwayne Bravo seems to have rediscovered his all-round form, while his younger brother Darren and openers Lendl Simmons and Adrian Barath are free-scoring batsmen.

But they will have to contend with the pace of Tino Best, Fidel Edwards and Carlos Brathwaite as well as the spin of left-armers Sulieman Benn and Ryan Hinds and off-spinner Ashley Nurse.

In the opening match, West Indies captain Darren Sammy will be looking to lead the improved Windwards outfit to their first final but the Jamaicans, with Marlon Samuels and Andre Russell, won’t be any push-overs.

The Windwards have two excellent spinners in left-armer Garey Mathurin and off-break bowler Shane Shillingford while off-spinner Liam Sebastien is usually fairly tidy.

On the other hand, Jamiaca’s left-arm slow-medium Krishmar Santokie, Russell, leg-spinner Odean Brown and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller will present a challenge to the Windwards’ batsmen.

Johnson Charles is a dangerous hitter at the top of the order while Devon Smith is the stabilizing force, having been dropped down to No. 4 in the order. Both Andre Fletcher and Miles Bascombe can also score freely but seem susceptible to spin, like most West Indian batsmen.

CT20 SCOREBOARDS

Jamaica v Netherlands

Netherlands Innings

S. Myburg c Santokie b Miller     31

M. Swart b Cotterell     3

E. Szwarczynski c Bonner b Santokie     44

A. Kervezee c Russell b Miller     11

*P. Borren Cotterell b Miller     8

+A. Buurman b Santokie     5

M. Bukhari b Santokie     6

W. Barressi c Samuels b Cotterell     0

P. Seelaar not out     0

T. van der Gugten b Santokie     0

A. Malik run out     0

Extras (lb3, w5)     8

Total (all out – 19.4 overs)     116

Wkts fell at: 19, 47, 73, 88, 110, 111, 116, 116, 116, 116

Bowling: Santokie 3.4-0-13-4,

Cotterell 4-0-25-2, Bernard 2-0-14-0, Russell 4-0-23-0, Miller 4-0-22-3, Brown 2-0-16-0

Jamaica Innings

N. Bonner c Szwarczynski b Malik     35

D. Hyatt c Borren b Seelaar     19

M. Samuels not out     30

S. Findlay not out     23

Extras (lb2, w8, nb1)     11

Total (for two wkts – 17.2 overs)     118

Wkts fell at: 9, 67

Bowling: Swart 4-0-24-0, van der Gugten 2.2-0-20-0, Bukhari 2-0-13-0, Seelaar 4-0-15-1, Malik 4-0-29-1, Borren 1-0-15-0

Did not bat: A. Russell. +C. Baugh,

*D. Bernard, K. Santokie, N. Miller, O. Brown, S. Cotterrell.

Result: Jamaica won by eight wickets with 16 balls remaining.

Points: Jamaica 4, Netherlands 0.

Man Of The Match: Krishmar Santokie

Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite and Peter Nero

TV Umpire: Vincent Bullen;

Match Referee: Adrian Griffith

Guyana v Windwards

Guyana innings

T. Griffith c Sebastien b Johnson     17

S. Chattergoon c Smith b Johnson     27

S. Chanderpaul c Lesporis b Mathurin     10

N. Deonarine run out     0

*C. Barnwell b Johnson     32

L. Johnson b *Sammy     12

R. Crandon lbw b *Sammy     0

+D. Christian c Johnson b *Sammy     0

S. Jacobs not out     9

V. Permaul not out     15

Extras (lb6, w12)     18

TOTAL (8 wkts – 20 overs)     140

Did not bat: D. Bishoo

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-58, 3-58, 4-72, 5-100, 6-100, 7-100, 8-122

Bowling: Peters 1-0-18-0, Mathurin 4-0-28-1, Johnson 4-0-40-3, Sebastien 3-0-14-0, Sammy 4-0-11-3, Shillingford 4-0-23-0

Windward Islands

J. Charles c and b Bishoo     65

M. Bascombe c Johnson b Crandon     14

+A. Fletcher c Barnwell b Bishoo     1

D.S. Smith not out     25

*D. Sammy c Griffith b Bishoo     9

S. Shillingford c wkpr Christian b Bishoo     0

G. Mathurin not out     1

Extras (lb2, w2)     4

TOTAL (5 wkts – 16 overs)     119

Did not bat: K. Lesporis, L. Sebastien, D. Johnson, K. Peters

Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-52, 3-88, 4-112, 5-116

Bowling: Jacobs 3-0-25-0, Permaul 3-0-16-0, Bishoo 4-0-15-3, Crandon 3-0-35-2, Barnwell 3-0-26-0

Result: Windwards won by five wickets

(D/L Method)

Points: Windwards 4, Guyana 0

Toss: Windwards

Man Of The Match: D. Sammy

Umpires: V. Bullen, J. Wilson; TV umpire: P. Nero; Match referee: A. Griffith;

Reserve umpire: J. Blades

(CMC)

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