A FOUR-WICKET haul by Man-Of-The-Match Ashley Nurse and an unbroken half-century sixth-wicket partnership between Jonathan Carter and Shane Dowrich combined to give Barbados a five-wicket victory over Guyana yesterday in their Regional Super50 cricket clash at Kensington Oval.
Set 112 to win after Guyana collapsed to 111 all out off 40.3 overs, Barbados overcame a few hiccups to reach 114 for five off 26.1 overs.
A run chase that appeared on the surface to be a formality sparked new interest when pacer Paul Wintz had Kraigg Brathwaite caught at second slip by Guyana captain Christopher Barnwell in the fourth over with the score on 18.
Barbados captain Kirk Edwards (4), attempting a big drive off Ronsford Beaton, was bowled and when Wintz bowled Kyle Hope with a full length delivery, Barbados had slipped to 30 for three.
Rashidi Boucher launched Wintz over extra cover for a powerful six but shortly after stepped back on his wicket as he played a ball into the off side having made 21 off 20 balls.
Kyle Mayers and Jonathan Carter temporarily halted the slide, adding 22 in just over five overs, but there were more alarms for the home side when Mayers pulled a short delivery from Beaton to Steve Jacobs at mid on.
Carter and Dowrich calmly steered the team home through an unbroken stand of 50.
There was further alarm before the end when Carter appeared to be bowled by a delivery from leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo with Barbados on 80 for five. Carter stood his ground amidst the celebrations, and after consultation the umpires ruled that the ball had gone on to the wicket off the keeper’s pads.
Earlier Guyana, conservative within the compulsory ten-over power play, scored just 30 runs but had the satisfaction of both openers surviving that opening period.
Jason Holder, in his first match for Barbados this season, having just returned from the One-Day International series against Australia, gave Barbados a significant advantage by removing both openers.
Rajendra Chandrika was caught by Javon Searles low down at gully for 14, while left-hander Trevon Griffith edged the lanky fast bowler to wicketkeeper Dowrich after scoring 17.
Left-handers Leon Johnson and Assad Fudadin lifted the visitors from 37 for two in the 14th over to 81 in the 25th before Johnson was lbw in the first over from off-spinner Ashley Nurse for 28. Johnson faced 26 deliveries and struck three boundaries.
Steven Jacobs, fresh from an attractive half-century in the preceding four-day match, helped Fudadin take the score to within sight of 100 before the Guyana innings fell into terminal crisis, triggered primarily by Nurse, who picked up four for 22, and Jordan, who finished with three for 24.
