Bajans hold nerve to edge Jamaicans in Breakout League thriller

The Barbados Pelicans pulled off a nail-biting three-run victory over the Jamaica Titans in the West Indies Breakout League in Trinidad on Friday, in a contest that was decided off the very last ball of the match.

The Pelicans did well to get up to 155 for seven off their 20 overs, after they were sent in to bat at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

And the Titans looked on track to overhaul their target, but fell just short, ending on 152 for seven from their 20 overs.

It was a much-needed win for the Pelicans, one of the pre-tournament favourites, who improved their record to 2-2, while the Titans fell to 1-3.

However, at one point, the Titans seemed on track for victory as they required 28 runs from three overs with Jeavor Royal and Deethmar Anderson at the crease.

But left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds delivered an impressive 18th over that yielded just one run to put the pressure on the Titans.

With 27 runs required off the final 12 balls, captain Nyeem Young’s penultimate over went for 11 runs, leaving the Titans needing 16 runs off the final over bowled by Simmonds.

The Titans whittled down the equation to eight runs from the last two deliveries, and Royal kept them in the match by driving Simmonds straight down the ground for four.

Royal was then gifted the perfect opportunity to win the match for his side, but he hit Simmonds’ full toss straight into the hands of Kadeem Alleyne at long on as he tried to clear the boundary.

All six of the Pelicans’ bowlers claimed a wicket apiece.

Earlier, Shaqkere Parris and Kadeem Alleyne gave the Pelicans a solid start following the early loss of opener Shian Brathwaite for eight.

The pair put on 58 runs in quick time to help the Pelicans recover to 75 for one in the ninth over.

Alleyne’s dismissal for a well-played 38 from 30 balls with four fours and two sixes, and the loss of Parris for the top score of 41 from 22 balls, inclusive of three sixes and two fours, sparked a mini collapse that saw the Pelicans slump to 126 for seven in the 19th over.

Joshua Bishop, however, who scored a blistering, unbeaten 25 from 11 balls, ended the Pelicans innings in spectacular fashion by thumping left-arm pacer Reon Edwards for two sixes and two fours in the final over that yielded 21 runs.

Jeavor Royal (2-15), Michael Clarke (2-23) and Andrew Rambaran (2-26) were the pick of the bowlers for the Titans.

(CMC)