Bajans seal win over Leewards

Liburd, unbeaten on 43 overnight, batted enterprisingly to make 95 not out as the Leewards were dismissed for 236 in their second innings, after resuming at 172 for nine in pursuit of 410 for victory.

Pacer Fidel Edwards knocked back the off-stump of the other overnight batsman Colin Hamer (0) with the last ball of the fifth over to complete Barbados’ second successive outright win of the season.

They now lead the standing with 36 points and have booked a place in the semi-finals, with one match to play against Trinidad and Tobago in Bridgetown this weekend.

The Leewards, who were finalists last season, finished their season on 13 points and will not make the last four.

With victory for Barbados already assured after spineless batting from the home side on the evening of the third day, it was left to see if Liburd could get to his second half-century in as many First-Class matches.

He duly did so with a swept boundary off off-spinner Ryan Austin, who finished with five for 92 from 18 overs.

The burly-built right-hander from St Kitts then proceeded to dominate the bowling while protecting Hamer from the strike. Liburd, who batted with calculated aggression, struck left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds over extra-cover for one of his three sixes before sweeping Austin over the deep backward square-leg fence and following that up with a cover-driven four.

He progressed to the 90s in fine style when he took 12 runs off Hinds in what turned out to be the penultimate over the match.

Firstly, he square cut Hinds for four, followed this with a sweep and then a tickle to fine leg to reach 95 off the last ball of the over.

Hinds, who finished with three for 83, introduced Edwards into the attack and it immediately paid dividends.

After delivering three no-balls, the West Indies pacer breached Hamer’s defence to end the match at about 9.57 am.

The day’s play started half-an-hour early. Liburd’s knock included 15 fours and three sixes.

Hinds, who became only the fifth regional batsman to score centuries (168 and 150) in both innings of the match, and also took four wickets, was named "Man-of-the-Match."