BLACK ROCK, Barbados (CMC):

Barbados completed a six-wicket victory over Leeward Islands in their crucial second round match of the KFC Cup West Indies limited-overs championship yesterday.

The win gave Barbados four points which moved them up the standings, and left Leewards hugging the bottom of the table with no points.

Set 227 to win from their allotment of 50 overs, Barbados formalised the result, when their captain Ryan Hinds drove Wilden Cornwall through cover for a boundary off the last ball of the 45th over at the Carlton Sports Club.

Kevin Stoute anchored Barbados with the top score of 73 off 97 balls which included eight fours and one six, and shared in two vital stands which helped to earn him the Man-of-the-Match award.

He added 68 for the second wicket with opener Patrick Browne, the Barbados wicketkeeper/batsman, who scored 39 off 64 balls, and then put on 82 for the third wicket with left-hander Floyd Reifer, who made 41 off 55 balls.

Leewards were restricted to a respectable 226 for nine in 49.4 overs, and were set back in the middle of their innings, when Steve Liburd was forced to retire hurt with an injury to his left-arm, after colliding with Fidel Edwards. Liburd was not out on 31, when he departed in the 17th over with Leewards looking to rebuild on 70 for three.

It was left to Tonito Willett with the top score of 46 at a run-a-ball that included four fours and two sixes, and the bottom half of the LeewardsÕ batting to get them a decent total.

Justin Athanaze, batting at nine, scored 28, Jason Williams, at eight, made 27, Cornwall at seven and Omari Banks at five got 25 each, and Javier Liburd, opening batting, gathered 21.

Hinds was the most successful Barbados bowler. His four wickets for 48 runs from his allotment of 10 overs was the second time he had taken as many scalps in a regional limited-overs match.

Barbados face Windward Islands in their next match at Benjamin Park in Dominica next week Thursday, when Leewards meet Trinidad & Tobago at Guaracara Park in Trinidad.

LEEWARD ISLANDS (maximum 50 overs)

S. Jeffers b Edwards