BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):
Holders Barbados completed their second victory of the season, when they crushed Guyana - despite Ramnaresh Sarwan scoring 82 - by an innings and 57 runs with one session remaining in their Carib Beer Series match yesterday.
Facing a huge first innings deficit of 346, Guyana lost their last six wickets for 80 runs in 36.1 overs to suffer their second defeat of the season, when they were bowled out for 289 in their second innings on the final day of their second round match at Kensington Oval.
Barbados vice captain Dwayne Smith formalised the result, when he comprehensively bowled Zaheer Mohammed for 21 to hand the home team their second win for the season and join Jamaica at the top of the standings on 24 points.
Meanwhile, a career-best bowling performance from medium-paced bowler Tonito Willett helped Leeward Islands complete a 34-run victory over Windward Islands yesterday.
Willett, the Man-of-the-Match, captured five wickets for 31 runs from 15 overs, as the Windwards, chasing 289 runs for victory, were dismissed for 254 in their second innings about 15 minutes after lunch.
It was the second loss for the Windwards after they suffered a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of Barbados in their opening encounter. Leewards are now tied for third with last year's Carib Beer Challenge Final winner Trinidad & Tobago on 12 points, and the Windwards join Guyana and the Combined Campuses & Colleges at the bottom of the table without a point.
In the third round of matches starting on Friday, Barbados face the CCC at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados, where the composite student side is based, and Guyana travel to Kingston, where they will meet Jamaica at Sabina Park.