Bajans beat TT by 41 runs

Chasing 268 for victory off 50 overs, Daren Ganga’s team were 181 for seven in 38.1 overs when rain swept across the Banks Breweries ground at 4.42 p.m.

After it abated, the target was revised to 233 off 40 overs — effectively leaving Trinidad and Tobago to score 52 more runs from 11 balls. They ended on 191 for eight. It was Trinidad and Tobago’s second defeat, putting the title-holders under pressure to reach the Final Four.

Barbados’ 267 for six off 50 overs was due mainly to a hurricane unbeaten 90 off 50 balls from captain Courtney Browne, who was given four chances.

Browne and Ian Bradshaw blasted 110 off 10.4 overs in an unfinished seventh wicket stand to stunningly lift the tempo.

The Barbados captain slammed six sixes and an equal number of fours as he made Trinidad and Tobago pay dearly for their awful fielding lapses which started from early. Bradshaw contributed 23 from 20 deliveries.

Not afraid to go over the top, Browne timed the ball sweetly and never relented once he got into stride.

Opener Martin Nurse, who scored 47, also had three chances with Rodney Sookal the chief culprit. Trinidad and Tobago lost wickets steadily after a second wicket partnership of 55 in 13 overs between Lendl Simmons and captain Daren Ganga, who both scored 31.

They slipped to 112 for six in the 29th over before Ricardo Powell, who topscored with 49 from 46 balls with three sixes and three fours, added 67 in nine overs with Rayad Emrit (33 not out) as they desperately tried to lift the scoring rate. Medium-pacer Dwayne Smith was the leading wicket-taker with three for 43.

Sherwin Ganga fell for nine in the fifth over of the innings, edging Fidel Edwards to wicket-keeper Browne. The Simmons-Daren Ganga stand was ended when left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn had Simmons leg before wicket as he pushed forward.

Gregory Mahabir was run out for four and Ganga cut Smith into the hands of point.

Richard Kelly was caught at long-on and Samuel Badree was comprehensively bowled — both falling to Smith as Barbados tightened their grip. With rain threatening, Powell was given a read-out of the Duckworth Lewis target scores but he was soon deceived by a slower ball from left-arm pacer Bradshaw and offered an easy return catch.

Kurt Wilkinson had not scored when he was put down at second slip by Badree off Kelly and Nurse was missed on 16 at long-off by Sooklal off Kelly. There was another escape for Nurse on 24 as Sooklal at third man was again in the picture off pacer Mervyn Dillon.

Wilkinson fell in the 13th over, bowled off the inside edge by Kelly before Nurse and Floyd Reifer put together 56 in 17.5 overs for the third wicket.

Sherwin Ganga, with his gentle off-spin, removed Reifer for 35 off 53 balls and soon accounted for Nurse who was at the crease for 90 deliveries, hitting four boundaries.

At 115 for four in the 33rd over, Barbados needed to boost their scoring rate. Smith helped himself to 28 from 23 balls before he was bowled by Rampaul, who had Alcindo Holder leg before wicket for 17 in his next over. Sooklal was again the culprit when Browne on 11 lifted Emrit to deep mid-off. On 41 he was dropped at extra cover by Daren Ganga off Gooljar, and mis-stumped without adding off the same bowler in the same over. At 65 he was dropped at deep mid-off by Gooljar off Kelly.

As Trinidad and Tobago allowed it to slip, Browne went on the rampage to the delight of the crowd with Bradshaw offering the sort of support, which brought back memories of their ninth wicket partnership that carried West Indies to victory against England in the ICC Champions Trophy final in London last year.