BARBADOS’ barren four-year spell against arch- rivals Trinidad and Tobago came to a fruitful end at Kensington Oval, yesterday with a comfortable five-wicket victory.
With Kraigg Brathwaite anchoring their victory bid and injured wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich returning to put on the finishing touches, Barbados defeated the Trinis for the first time in first-class cricket since 2007.
Resuming the final day on 94 for three, needing only 85 more to reach the target of 179 runs, Barbados completed a come-from-behind triumph, 20 minutes after lunch on the final day of their injury-plagued third-round Regional Four-day match.
Brathwaite, a 19-year-old right-hander, played in his typically uncomplicated and unflustered style to remain unbeaten on 48 off 157 balls in 228 minutes with just two fours as Barbados reached 180 for five.
His responsible knock was worth a lot more, as his steely resolve and the manner in which he buckled down to the task allowed others like Man Of The Match Kirk Edwards, with his 45 on the previous afternoon, and Jonathan Carter, yesterday, to bat freely during the run-chase.
Brathwaite, restarting from 26 overnight, played a watchful role in an important fifth-wicket partnership of 47 with free-scoring left-hander Carter, who hit five fours and a six in a run-a-ball 36 in 50 minutes.
When off-spinner Sunil Narine, who ended with three for 54 in 19.5 overs, snared his third scalp by inducing a loose drive from Carter for Imran Khan to a take a smart catch above his head at second slip, 32 more runs were needed.
But Dowrich, who did not bat in Barbados’ first innings and did not keep wicket since late on the first day when he was struck above the left eye by a delivery from Tino Best that slipped through his gloves, surprised the die-hard 200 spectators in the 3Ws Stand by making an unexpected appearance at the crease.
He was tested with some short deliveries from pacer Shannon Gabriel, bowling from around the wicket, but survived until lunch with Barbados just 19 runs away from victory.
Dowrich duly sealed victory for Barbados by slapping Narine through extra cover for four to end on 19 not out off 27 balls in 30 minutes.
Trinidad and Tobago had earlier wasted little time in removing night watchman Kemar Roach, bowled by Narine for three off the fifth ball of the day.
But with 65 more runs required, Ramdin gambled by bringing on part-time off-spinner Jason Mohammed to replace Gabriel.
The Bajan batsmen accepted the generous offer and after Brathwaite pulled a short delivery for three, Carter hoisted Mohammed for a straight six onto the northern sightscreen and pleasantly drove the next ball wide of long off for four as 13 runs came in that over.
There was a 50-minute stoppage for rain with the score on 127 for four after half-hour’s play, but on resumption Carter continued to attack.
He drove leg-spinner Imran Khan through the covers for four and was lucky to escape on 25 when he powerfully pulled a short delivery from Narine and was dropped by substitute Yannic Cariah at short mid-wicket.
He top-edged pacer Gabriel to the fine leg fence for another boundary but did not heed the warning signs and fell in Narine’s next over.
Barbados’ coach Hendy Springer said the victory was a good measure of the team’s ability to dominate in their own conditions.
