LEON Johnson struck a patient half century and along with incisive medium- fast bowling from West Indies Twenty20 all rounder and man- of- the- match Christopher Barnwell, enabled Guyana to beat their nemesis Barbados by 48 runs in their third and final preliminary round match in this year’s Regional Super50 tournament at the Blairmont Community Centre ground yesterday. Asked to take first strike, the home team which played an unchanged eleven that defeated Windward Islands by 103 runs in the first round, reached 226 for 9 from their 50 overs, thanks to Johnson’s 66 while Steven Jacobs made 38 and Barnwell 37.
Medium- fast bowler Javon Searles took 3 for 24 from five overs while there were two wickets each for left arm spin twins Suleiman Benn and Ryan Hinds for 31 and 51 runs respectively.
When Barbados began their reply in front of a vociferous crowd, they were rocked by the spin/pace combination of Jacobs (1-13) and Wintz (2-46) who left them shakily placed on 18 for 3 in the eight over, before Patrick Browne brought some respectability to the total with his resilient 66, as they reached 178 in the 45th over.
Barnwell returned with the ball to take 4 for 43 while Royston Crandon offered support with 2 for 34, to guide their team firmly into the final four of the tournament, even though Carlos Brathwaite, who picked up an injury in the field and was unable to bowl, made a patient 25 while adding 59 for the eighth wicket with Browne.
When Guyana batted, the sprinkling of spectators on hand were treated to a Trevon Griffith (06) six struck off the first legal delivery of the match from former West Indies fast bowler Tino Best, who rebounded from that blow to have the left handed batsman caught by Kenroy Williams at mid -on two deliveries later.
Johnson joined his skipper Assad Fudadin (13) who did not suggest permanence during his innings, hence, it was no surprise when he nicked one through to Browne off his opposite number at 46 for 2 in the 10th over.
After Travis Dowlin (09) hit one back to Benn who knocked back Crandon’s middle stump for 13, Guyana were 93 for 4 in the 27th over, with Johnson showing grit and determination on 46.
Johnson reached his 50 from 93 deliveries decorated with four fours and celebrated by pulling a short delivery from Best over midwicket for his lone six as Guyana moved 122 for 4 after 33 overs.
Barbados removed Johnson who was caught at short fine leg by Dale Richards, sweeping at Hinds who also removed Barnwell, but not before the right handed batsman displayed a pugnacious attitude hitting five fours and one six in his 33 balls 37.
Jacobs added some fireworks late in the home team’s innings, hitting three fours and one six in his 49 balls 37, while Derwin Christian (11, 2×4) and Steven Latcha who struck two fours in his unbeaten 11, brought some life back to Guyana’s innings.
When Barbados began their reply, Jacobs started things from the Southern End of the venue and got immediate success in the third over when Richards, who had pulled Wintz for four, was given out lbw at 8 for 1.
The quick demise of both Hinds (07) and Jonathan Carter (00) to Wintz, not only left Barbados wobbly on 18 for 3, but also the bowler on a hat trick.
But as Latcha did to Searles when Guyana batted with the bowler on a hat trick in the penultimate over, Williams the Barbados’ skipper denied Wintz as he went on to add 25 for the fourth wicket with Boucher before Johnson held a magnificent catch at point to remove the dangerous looking Boucher for 13.
Dwayne Smith (03) came and left in the same manner of a ZR van during rush hour time, as he was bowled by Barnwell four runs after Boucher was dismissed.
Williams and Browne added 30 for the sixth wicket before the former was caught at the wicket by Christian off Fudadin for 30 that included 4 fours and was scored off 34 deliveries and when Guyana removed Searles (08), Barbados were 92 for 7 and staring down the barrel of a huge defeat.
Brathwaite strolled to the wicket and together with Browne, added 59 for the eighth wicket, as they took the occasional boundary coupled with the steady singles that pushed the Barbadians into the tunnel of despair.
But shortly after posting their 50 run partnership which was compiled off 12.1 overs and after seeing Browne post his half- century from 94 balls with three fours, Brathwaite watched as Crandon who was stationed at mid on, took a leaping over head catch off the bowling of Barnwell, to leave Barbados on 166 for 8.
It was all over, bar the shouting from the home team, when Benn was caught at long on by Wintz and Browne who struck five fours in his 66 scored off 113 deliveries, was caught by Latcha at deep midwicket, with both wickets going to Barnwell.
Former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd, in whose name the championship trophy was named, was on hand to not only witness the action, but also present the man- of- the- match trophy to Barnwell in the presence of Guyana Cricket Board’s president Ramsay Ali and secretary  Anand Sanasie .

GUYANA Innings
T. Griffith c Williams b Best 06
A. Fudadin c Boucher b Williams 13
L. Johnson c Richards b Hinds 62
T. Dowlin c&b Benn 09
R. Crandon b Benn 13
C. Barnwell c Searles b Hinds 37
S. Jacobs c Carter b Searles 38
J. Foo c wkpr Browne b Searles 16
D. Christian c Williams b Searles 11
P. Wintz not out 01
S. Latcha not out 11
Extras (w6, lb2, nb1) 09
Total (for 9 wickets off 50 overs) 226
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-46, 3-67, 4-93, 5-127, 6-160, 7-199, 8-214, 9-214
Bowling: Best 4-0-38-1 (w3), Searles 5-0-24-3 (nb1), Williams 10-1-41-1, Smith 6-0-39-0 (w1), Benn 12-4-31-2, Hinds 12-0-51-2 (w1)

BARBADOS Innings
D. Richards lbw Jacobs 06
R. Boucher c Johnson b Barnwell 13
R. Hinds c Jacobs b Wintz 07
J. Carter lbw Wintz 00
K. Williams c wkpr Christian b Fudadin 30
D. Smith b Barnwell 03
P. Browne c Latcha b Crandon 66
J. Searles c wkpr Christian b Crandon 08
C. Brathwaite c Crandon b Barnwell 25
S. Benn c Wintz b Barnwell 01
T. Best not out 07
Extras (w10, b1, lb1)12
Total (all out off 45 overs) 178
Fall of wickets: 1-08, 2-18, 3-18, 4-43, 5-47, 6-77, 7-92, 8-151, 9-166, 10-
Bowling: Jacobs 6-1-13-1, Wintz 9-0-46-2 (w3), Barnwell 8-1-43-4 (w6), Latcha 5-0-20-0, Fudadin 6-0-17-1 (w1), Crandon 10-0-34-2, Johnson 2-0-3-0