Edwards ... man of the match. - FILE
BRIDGETOWN (CMC):
BARBADOS MOVED to the top of the Carib Beer Series standings yesterday, when they completed a 10-wicket triumph before lunch over Jamaica at the Three Ws Oval.
Chasing a modest target of 30 for victory, the Barbadians hit the jackpot close to an hour into the fourth and final day, when Patrick Browne swung a delivery from Gareth Breese to the wide long-on boundary for the last of his five fours in an undefeated 21.
MIS-STUMPED
The Jamaicans had one last opportunity for a bit of a boost, when Gareth Breese deceived opening batsman Dale Richards with a well-flighted ball in the second over, but wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh, Jr., mis-stumped the batsman.
"We have been playing really good team cricket," Barbados captain Ryan Hinds told reporters.
"Fidel Edwards set up the game nicely for us on the first day with some early wickets, and then we batted well as a team. This season, I think we have a really balanced side, and we are batting and bowling well, so things have been going well so far," he added.
"It's still early days yet in this competition. We need to continue playing good cricket and, hopefully, we can go on and win the competition."
Earlier, Jamaica, trailing the Barbadians by 290 runs on first innings, were dismissed for 319 in their second innings about 20 minutes into the day.
The Jamaicans had continued from their bedtime position of 310 for eight and were never expected to offer any prolonged resistance.
Fidel Edwards had Nikita Miller lbw for 12 playing defensively forward to a well-pitched delivery to finish with four wickets for 75 runs from 18 overs and cement him for the Man-of-the-Match award.
POOR BATTING
Next over, Ian Bradshaw had Jerome Taylor caught at extra cover for nine skying a slower ball to give the left-arm medium-paced bowler three wickets for 82 runs from 24 overs and end the Jamaican innings.
"We batted very poorly in the first innings and we were always behind the eight ball and playing catch-up cricket for the next three days," Jamaica captain Wavell Hinds said.
"As it turned out, the Bajans played exceptionally well. Their bowling unit displayed some top discipline in line and length and this accounted for our carelessness in batting.
"Our performance was pretty dismal and we need to return to the drawing board and revisit the areas we need to develop, while the selectors need to meet and think about the people who make up the team, so we have a big task ahead of us when we return home."
Barbados lead the Championship with 24 points and Jamaica remain on 12 points.
SCOREBOARD
JAMAICA 1st Innings 129
BARBADOS 1st Innings 419
JAMAICA 2nd Innings
(overnight 310 for eight)
N. Miller lbw b Edwards 12
J. Taylor c Holder b Bradshaw 9
A. Richardson not out 5
Extras (b5, lb5, w2, nb6) 18
TOTAL (all out) 319
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-20, 3-64, 4-68, 5-153, 6-270, 7-270, 8-303, 9-311.
Bowling: Edwards 18-3-75-4 (nb2, w2); Bradshaw 24-5-82-3; Nurse 16-5-55-1; Smith 12-4-31-1 (nb1); Austin 19-8-33-1 (nb2); Hinds 9-2-33-0 (nb1).
BARBADOS 2nd Innings (target: 30 runs)
D. Richards not out 9
P. Browne not out 21
TOTAL (without loss) 30
Bowling: Taylor 2-0-19-0; Breese 1.4-0-11-0.
Result: Barbados won by 10 wickets.
Points: Barbados 12, Jamaica zero.
Umpires: V. Bullen, V. Weekes.
Man-of-the-Match: Fidel Edwards
(Barbados).
