PORT OF SPAIN – Barbados failed to advance to the semi-finals of the WICB Super50 competition after a series of dramatic events last night.
After losing to Trinidad and Tobago by 41 runs in their final preliminary match at Queen’s Park Oval and Windward Islands moved ahead of them in the points table by beating the Leeward Islands at the Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua around the same time, it was felt that Barbados would advance to the semi-finals if Jamaica defeated Guyana in a day/night match at the Guyana National Stadium a few hours later.
With three runs needed from the final ball by off-spinner Guyana Narsingh Deonarine, Nikita Miller lifted it over long-on for six to seal victory for Jamaica (23 points) and cement them as the second placed team behind Trinidad and Tobago (25 points) with the Windwards in third on 12 points.
The feeling at the time was that Barbados would advance as the fourth semi-finalist on ten points, the same number as Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) but the Bajans would have gained the nod on account of having a marginally superior net run-rate.
Barbados’ net run-rate was -0.013 and CCC’s -0.055.
Various radio stations and websites around the Caribbean had reported that Barabdos would meet Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-finals, but just before midnight, the WICB announced that CCC would be the fourth semi-finalist instead of Barbados by virtue of winning the head-to-head clash between the two teams earlier in the competition.
The relevant rule states:
“In the event of teams finishing on equal points, the right to play in the next round will be determined as follows:
– The team with most number of wins
– If still equal, the team with the most number of wins over the other team(s) who are equal on points and have the same number of wins
– If still equal, the team with the highest number of bonus points
– If still equal, the team with the highest net run rate.”
Trinidad and Tobago, who finished the preliminaries with a perfect 6-0 record, owed their victory against Barbados to a century from captain Denesh Ramdin and his big partnership with Jason Mohammed to leave Kirk Edwards’ team suffering their fourth defeat in six matches.
Ramdin smashed 134 and Mohammed 63, as Trinidad and Tobago recovered from a shaky position of five runs for three wickets in the sixth over to reach 264 for eight off their allotted 50 overs.
Pacers Javon Searles (3-23) and Kyle Mayers (3-35) finished with three wickets apiece while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claimed two for 53.
In reply, Barbados were making a fight of it at 147 for four but after topscorer Jonathan Carter fell for 61, they lost their way to collapse to 223 all out off 49 overs.
Fast bowler Marlon Richards, who made early inroads, finished with three for 23 while leg-spinner Yannick Cariah (2-37) and pacers Shannon Gabriel (2-43) and Rayad Emrit (2-44) all picked up two wickets each.
Asked to bowl first, Barbados were on top early when Mayers knocked over opener Adrian Barath and Kjorn Ottley without scoring, and Searles claimed Lendl Simmons for four.
However, Ramdin and Mohammed combined in a brilliant 170-run, fourth wicket stand to see Trinidad and Tobago out of trouble.
Ramdin faced 135 balls, smashing 12 fours and four sixes while Mohammed raised his half-century off 83 balls with seven fours and a six before falling in the 37th over to Searles.
Richards then shook up Barbados’ top order to reduce the visitors to 44 for three in the 12th over. He yorked Kraigg Brathwaite for six at 24 for one in the sixth over, also bowled captain Kirk Edwards for ten at 42 for two in the tenth over before breaching Rashidi Boucher’s defence for 21 in his next over.
Barbados regained their balance through two partnerships. Carter put on 49 for the fourth wicket with Kevin Stoute who made 16 before falling lbw to Cariah in the 27th over offering no stroke.
The left-handed Carter put on a further 54 for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich (28) before eventually falling to a catch at third man off Gabriel, chasing quick runs in the 35th over.
Once Dowrich was lbw to Emrit in the next over at 158 for six, Barbados’ challenge lost momentum as the last five wickets fell for 65 runs.
The semi-final line-up will feature Trinidad and Tobago against CCC and Jamaica against Windward Islands.
Both the semi-finals and final on April 18, 19 and 21 respectively will be day/night matches at Kensington Oval, starting at 2 p.m. (CMC/HG)
