There was absolutely nothing for Barbados to be proud of after crashing out of the Super 50 Cup in spectacular fashion on Thursday.
A lacklustre performance in the field was followed up by an embarrassing showing with the bat as Barbados Pride were humbled by 155-runs by the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the second semi-final at the Brian Lara Stadium.
It was the second straight year that the Pride were eliminated at the semi-final stage and ended their hopes of lifting their first Super 50 title since 2017.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Hurricanes were led by half centuries from Jahmar Hamilton (76), Justin Greaves (67) and Hayden Walsh (57) on their way to posting a formidable 290 in 49.4 overs.
Off-spinner Kemar Smith was the lone bright spark for Barbados, grabbing 5-43 from his 10 overs, while Dominic Drakes and Raymon Reifer took two wickets apiece.
In their run chase, the Pride’s much vaunted batting failed to fire once again and they were routed for 135 in 30.2 overs, their lowest total of the tournament.
Only Roston Chase who scored 35 from 36 deliveries put up any real resistance.
Hurricanes’ captain Alzarri Joseph grabbed three wickets to wreak havoc on the Pride’s top order, while left-arm spinner Daniel Doram also grabbed three wickets. Kofi James and Walsh both ended with two wickets.
Barbados’ captain Shai Hope admitted that his side did not turn up to the party.
“We didn’t play our best cricket and that’s why we are in this position. We didn’t hit our straps, we didn’t execute the way we wanted to, we didn’t play the best cricket we could’ve played and obviously the better team won on the day,” the disappointed skipper said.
Meanwhile, the victory put Hurricanes in their 14th Super50 Cup final, setting up their first-ever championship match clash with hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on Sunday.
“It [feels] really good but the job is not done yet. We still have one more game to play,” said a stony-faced Joseph.
“For me, I think everyone played their role, everyone did what they needed to do and that’s what we needed from everyone today.”
Earlier, Smith’s five-wicket haul had rattled the Hurricanes’ innings and left it tottering on 179 for six in the 38th over before Hamilton and Walsh put on 101 for the seventh wicket, as the Hurricanes gathered a tournament record 104 runs from the last 10 overs.
Asked to score at nearly six runs per over to reach their first Super50 Cup final in five years, Pride were stunned by Joseph’s new-ball burst, the 26-year-old fast bowler claiming three for 30 in a hostile five-over spell to leave the run chase in strife at 34 for three in the seventh over.
He spectacularly yorked left-hander Kyle Mayers (4) with the second ball of the innings, gained a fortuitous judgement for caught behind against Zachary McCaskie (6) in his next over before getting Hope (19) to fend off a lifter to Rahkeem Cornwall at first slip in the seventh over.
James spun his first delivery back to bowl Shamarh Brooks for 13 in the 11th over and then got the unsettled Kraigg Brathwaite (11) to tickle a catch around the corner low to Greaves in his next over to leave Pride tottering at 61 for five.
Chase then chanced his arm but in vain as Doram and Walsh combined to send the last five wickets tumbling for 55 runs. (CMC/RB)
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