BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):A historic hundred by Nkrumah Bonner helped defending champions Jamaica kick off their title defence with a resounding 75-run victory over Barbados in the Regional Super50 here Thursday.

Bonner led the way with a fluent 110, becoming the first Jamaican ever to score a Super50 hundred against the Barbadians, as the visitors posted 239 for eight from 50 overs in their day/night, opening-round match at Kensington Oval.

Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert then led steady, if not sensational bowling with three for 22 from his 10 overs, Sheldon Cotterrell grabbed two for 21 from 6.5 overs and Nikita Miller snared two for 26 from 10 overs, as Barbados crumbled for 164 in 44.5 overs.

The 24-year-old Bonner, a graduate of the West Indies High Performance Centre, struck eight fours and four sixes from 139 balls, giving backbone to the Jamaican innings.

He put on 78 for the seventh wicket with Nikita Miller, when Jamaica's innings appeared at the crossroads on 151 for six in the 38th over.

Bonner, playing his first Super50 match for the Jamaicans, reached his 100 from 132 balls, when he dragged a delivery from Javon Searles through mid-on for a single before he was caught at square cover off the same bowler in the 48th over.

stable support

Miller offered him stable support, striking three fours and one six in 42 from 41 balls and led the charge in the closing overs, as Jamaica added 75 in the final 10 overs.

Kevin Stoute was the pick of the Barbados bowlers with two for 31 from eight overs and Christopher Jordan took two for 48 from nine overs.

Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Rashidi Boucher were two of a handful of Barbados batsmen that got starts without carrying on.

Brathwaite made 22 and Boucher scored 24, sharing 43 for the first wicket before Lambert exposed the Barbadian batting with his uncomplicated off-spin.

Left-hander Jonathan Carter hit the top score of 28, Shane Dowrich got 26 and Christopher Jordan, batting at 10, added 21, but there was neither substance nor stability from the Barbados batting.

The two teams meet again today when the Jamaicans also open their defence of the Regional Four-Day tournament against the same opponents at the same venue.

AT SIR VIVIAN RICHARDS CRICKET GROUND: Guyana beat Leewards by five wickets.

Leewards Islands 162 all out 43.2 overs (Jahmar Hamilton 40, Montcin Hodge 33; Chris Barnwell 4-31, Devendra Bishoo 3-35);Guyana 164 for five off 45.1 overs (Leon Johnson 30, Rajendra Chadrika 28, Assad Fudadin 26 not out, Chris Barnwell 22, Derwin Christian 22 not out, Trevon Griffith 21; Justin Athanaze 2-24).

AT BEAUSEJOUR CRICKET GROUND: Windwards beat CCC by one wicket.

Combined Campuses & Colleges 207 all out off 50 overs (Raymon Reifer 60 not out, Chadwick Walton 56; Shane Shillingford 4-39).

Windward Islands 211 for nine off 46.4 overs (Andre Fletcher 67, Devon Smith 54, Shane Shillingford 21; Akeem Dewar 3-23, Derone Davis 2-42, Kevin McClean 2-42.