Bajans crush Windies in one-day match

HAMILTON: Two young batsmen upon whom Barbados have pinned their hopes for future success starred in their eight-wicket win over West Indies in a limited-overs cricket practice match yesterday. Left-handed opening batsman Martin Nurse, a former Young Barbados captain, hit the top score of 78 from 57 balls and the rugged Jason Parris was unbeaten on 60 from 87 balls, as Barbados successfully chased a target of 237 to win with 52 balls to spare.

Nurse had demonstrated his all-round ability with two wickets for 46 runs in his ten overs, as West Indies posted 236 for six from their allotment of 50 overs after choosing to bat with Wavell Hinds hitting the top score of 54 and several other batsmen getting starts without carrying on. West Indies were effectively batted out of the match when Nurse and fellow opening batsman Kurt Wilkinson shared an opening stand of 123. All but ten of Nurse’s runs were in boundaries comprising five fours and eight sixes before he was caught in the deep off Dwayne Bravo and Wilkinson made 31 before he was caught behind off Ramnaresh Sarwans uncomplicated leg-spin.

The capitulation that occurred during the two teams’ previous match earlier in the week did not materialise with Parris in an innings that contained three fours and three sixes, Campbell with an unbeaten 46 adding 117, unbroken, for the third wicket to see Barbados home. Earlier, consistent batting down the order helped West Indies post a competitive total on a hard, easy-paced Somerset CC pitch with Hinds rising to the occasion with a 113-ball innings that was spiced with two fours and three sixes. He added 55 for the second wicket with Ramnaresh Sarwan, who then put on 72 with captain Brian Lara. But their dismissals for 34 each, along with Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s for 14, left West Indies on 152 for five. Bravo scored an unbeaten 31 and Ricardo Powell made 31 in a sixth-wicket stand of 58 that added beef to the total.