Smith blast floors Jamaica

NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC):

Dwayne Smith blasted a memorable, boundary-studded 86 to set up a comfortable win for Barbados by 62 runs against Jamaica that lifted them to the top of the standings in Group B of the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground on Saturday night.

Living up to his reputation as one of the most dangerous hitters in the game, opener Smith smashed seven fours and six sixes in his breathtaking knock, which led Barbados to 157 for seven off 20 overs after they won the toss.

The dominance of Smith was underlined by the fact that the next best score of 18 not out off nine balls came from veteran all-rounder Ryan Hinds, who slammed two consecutive sixes off pacer André Russell in the final over of the innings.

Smith was third out in the 16th over, pulling a short ball from leg-spinner Nkrumah Bonner into the hands of backward square on the boundary in Krishmar Santokie.

Left-arm pacer Santokie took two for 27 and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, two for 27.

Steady wicket losses

Jamaica lost wickets early and steadily and after 10 overs were tottering on 45 for five, before being bowled out for 95 in 16.5 overs.

Several of the Jamaica batsmen were caught in the deep as Barbados fielded and caught brilliantly.

Opener Bonner topscored with 27 off 31 balls.

Tino Best again bowled fast and hostile to finish with two for 17. Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn picked up two for 24 and off-spinner Ashley Nurse two for 30.

The win was the second for Barbados in as many matches, pushing them to eight points - the same as Jamaica who have played three matches.

Barbados also boast a healthy net run rate of +4.273 compared with Jamaica's -0.113.

SCOREBOARD

BARBADOS

Did not bat: SJ Benn, TL Best

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-31, 3-116, 4-118, 5-120, 6-131, 7-133.

Bowling: Santokie 4-1-27-2, Miller 4-0-34-2, Brown 4-0-24-0, Samuels 1-0-18-0, Russell 4-0-28-0, Bonner 1-0-7-1 (1nb), Bernard 2-0-13-0 (1nb).

JAMAICA

Fall of wickets 1-16, 2-19, 3-23, 4-45, 5-46, 6-59, 7-74, 8-80, 9-80, 10-95.

Bowling: Hinds 3.5-0-13-1, Best 4-0-17-2 (1w), Benn 4-0-24-2, Brathwaite 2-1- 8-1, Nurse 3-0-30-2 (2w).

Result: Barbados won by 62 runs.

Points: Barbados 4, Jamaica 0

Toss: Barbados

Man of the Match: Dwayne Smith (Barbados).

Umpires: P Nero, J Wilson

TV umpire: N Duguid

Match referee: A Griffith

Reserve umpire: B Joseph