An accomplished half-century from Test batsman Devon Smith failed to prevent the Windward Islands from going down by 13 runs to Barbados in the WICB Cup One-Day cricket tournament at the Enmore ground, yesterday.
The 27-year-old Grenadian left-hander hit five fours in his 109-ball 83 but the Windwards were bowled out for 184 in 49.3 overs, chasing the 197 for eight off 50 overs made by Barbados.
The victory carried Barbados to 13 points and assured them a place in this weekend’s day/night semi-finals at the National Stadium at Providence.
Barbados were indebted to Man-Of-The-Match Corey Collymore, who finished with three for 24, along with fast bowler Tino Best (3-39) and Dwayne Smith (2-44), as they destroyed the Windwards innings.
In a must-win game for Barbados following their defeat to the Leewards on Monday, Ryan Hinds made his third 50 in four innings as Barbados struggled on a slow and low track in sultry conditions after they were asked to bat.
Dale Richards (20) and skipper Jason Haynes (21) added 39 for the first wicket on the large ground before Richards was trapped leg before to West Indies medium pacer Darren Sammy. Haynes, back in the side after missing the last two games through injury, was run out at 60 for two.
Kenroy Williams (19) was then bowled by pacer Nelon Pascal at 111 for three while Hinds, who reached the boundary four times and cleared it twice in his even half-century, lofted Devon Smith to long-off with an irresponsible shot to leave the score on 124 for four with 12 overs remaining in the innings.
Dwayne Smith, who surprisingly was demoted to six in the batting order, was bowled by left-arm fast bowler Deighton Butler for 16 after hitting a six in the same over as Barbados slipped to 165 for six.
Kevin Stoute, who finished unbeaten on 25 in his first game of the series, was the only other batsman to reach 20 as Butler (3-37) and Sammy (2-49) bowled well for the Windwards.
When the Windwards began their reply, a fair size crowd watched as Miles Bascombe (2) was leg before to Test pacer Corey Collymore in the third over to leave the islanders in early trouble at 11 for one.
Collymore then bowled Johnson Charles for a first-ball duck but was denied his hattrick by Kevin James, whom he eventually had caught behind for one as the Windwards slipped further in to trouble at 27 for three.
The diminutive Devon Smith batted enterprisingly to reach his second 50 of the competition and along with Sammy (23) took the score to 93 to keep the Windwards in the hunt.
Sammy was caught and bowled by off-spinner Williams who bowled impressively to finish with one for 27 from ten overs and Liam Sebastian (16) was leg before to Best at 130 for five.
Devon Smith then played an injudicious lofted drive off Dwayne Smith and skied a catch to deep cover with 12 overs to go, to bring Barbados back into the game.
Skipper Rawl Lewis tried desperately to keep the scoreboard ticking as Barbados looked very alert in the field but he ran out of partners to finish unbeaten on 27 from 43 balls, when the last man Pascal was run out in the final over.
