Mean Bradshaw rocks Bajans

HAMILTON: Ian Bradshaw upstaged his Barbados team-mates to engineer a tense ten-run win for West Indies in their day/night limited-overs cricket practice match on Tuesday. In pursuit of 134 to hit the jackpot, Barbados were undermined by Bradshaw’s mean, purposeful left-arm medium-fast bowling and were dismissed for 123 with 31 balls to spare. West Indies had scored 133 for nine from their allotment of 50 overs on a difficult pitch with left-arm spin bowlers Sulieman Benn and Ryan Hinds proving to be West Indies’ undoing equally sharing six wickets and 20 overs that only cost 68. Bradshaw, who has become a useful part of the limited-overs team, then snared six wickets for 15 runs from his ten overs to undermine the Barbados batting. Former West Indies opening batsman Sherwin Campbell, who is leading the Barbados team because regular captain Courtney Browne is on duty with West Indies, batted doggedly for a top score of 45 from 112 balls.

He shared a stand of 73 with Ryan Hurley, who offered essential support in 37 off 56 balls, before Mervyn Dillon had him caught to leave Barbados 102 for seven. Campbell tried to steer the ship home, but he too, succumbed to the pressure and he was ninth out to the uncomplicated spin bowling of Chris Gayle and with him went Barbados’ chances. Bradshaw had setback Barbados in a wicked opening spell when he removed Martin Nurse, Kurt Wilkinson, Dale Richards, Floyd Reifer and Ryan Hinds cheaply to leave the regional  powerhouse on 19 for five inside the first ten overs. When Darren Sammy had Carlo Morris caught close to the wicket, Barbados were 29 for six and the match appeared headed to be a lopsided affair until Campbell and Hurley gave them fleeting hope. Earlier, West Indies’ batsmen again showed that they could be the weak link during the ICC Champions’ Trophy limited-overs cricket series in Britain next month.

Left-arm spin bowling again proved to be the bane of West Indies after they chose to bat. Left-hander Wavell Hinds hit the top score of 27 for West Indies, but no other batsman could raise 20, although fellow left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul was undefeated on 19. West Indies benefited from a decent opening stand of 41 from Hinds and fellow left-hander Gayle, but once Wilkinson —  with his modest slow medium-pace bowling —  removed them both, there was neither substance nor stability from the rest of the batting. As Ashley Giles demonstrated on the West Indies’ recent tour of England, Benn and Hinds again provided a stern examination of the techniques of the batsmen on the regional team. West Indies are preparing for the ICC Champions Trophy that opens on September 10. They have been drawn in Group “B” alongside South Africa and Bangladesh, who they face in their opening match on September 15 at Southampton. Barbados are using the trip to Bermuda to get in shape for the West Indies domestic limited-overs competition set to start in October. (CMC)