Bajans rout Jamaica for 129

The hosts dismissed the defending double-crown champions for a paltry 129 on the stroke of tea and responded strongly by the close to reach 102 for two.

The match started sensationally with wickets off the first two balls from pacer Fidel Edwards. It was a huge setback that the Jamaicans never recovered from.

Edwards, playing his first match of the tournament after a month’s rest following the West Indies’ tour of Australia, had Xavier Marshall caught at third slip from the first ball and yorked the left-handed Shawn Findlay with the next ball.

Edwards, who added a third scalp ten minutes later when Brenton Parchment edged a catch to the keeper, finished with three for 26 in nine overs that were spilt into three spells.

It was a big team effort from Barbados in the field. Left-arm seamer Ian Bradshaw collected two for 34 off 14.4 overs; medium-pacer Dwayne Smith grab-bed two for 39 in 12 overs, and off-spinner Ryan Austin, belatedly brought into the attack, took two for one.

Captain Wavell Hinds offered the most resistance for Jamaica. Batting at No 5, he occupied the crease for three-and-a-half hours to compile a fighting 46 off 141 balls before edging a catch low to slip in Austin’s first over.

Marlon Samuels, who played a few attractive strokes, made 30 off 57 balls in a fourth wicket stand of 43 with Hinds before he was bowled.

The only other Jamaica batsman who put up a fight was Tamar Lambert, whose 17 came in just under an hour.

Jamaica reached 66 for four at lunch and seemed to be staging something of a recovery when Hinds and Lambert were together putting on 35 for the fifth wicket.

Once Lambert was leg before wicket to Smith, the innings went into further decline and the last six wickets fell for 44 runs.

Barbados’ response was built on opener Dale Richards’ solid half-century. Richards stroked five fours on the way on an unbeaten 54 and added 51 for the third wicket with captain Ryan Hinds after Jamaica removed opener Wayne Blackman for two and wicket-keeper Patrick Browne for 19. Hinds ended the day on 24 not out.

Jamaica surprisingly omitted West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson and all-rounder Dave Bernard.

Their places were taken by Marshall and Findlay, who fell to the first two balls of the match.

Barbados’ only change was Edwards replacing fellow West Indies pacer Tino Best.