PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC ) – A sensational spell of fast bowling from Akeem Jordan helped to spearhead the Barbados Pride to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their CG United Super 50 Cup encounter here at the Queens Park Oval on Friday.
The right-arm seamer bagged 5-29 from six overs to first restrict the Hurricanes to 138 in 25.1 overs, after which Zachary McCaskie and captain Kyle Mayers helped themselves to half-centuries to see the Pride home with relative ease at 139 for three.
The first master stroke from Mayers was at the toss, as he sent in the Hurricanes, with the decision bearing immediate fruit. In just the second over of the day, with just three runs on the board, Jordan shattered the stumps of opener Kofi James for a first-ball duck.
Four runs later, Jordan was in business once again. This time, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett was caught by Mayers for four, to leave the Hurricanes losing their storm force winds early.
The Hurricanes would limp to 12 runs, but the disastrous start just got worse, as they lost their next four wickets for a mere two runs.
Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop got in on the act, as he picked up the scalp of captain Karima Gore, who was caught for two.
Jordan then bowled Tyrone Williams for a duck, before Bishop picked up his second and third wickets in the fifth over when he had opener Mykyle Louis caught for four and had Jewel Andrew caught for a duck.
At 14 for 6, a paltry score was always going to be on the cards; however, some brisk late order hitting from Jahmar Hamilton and Nathan Edwards helped to get the Hurricanes over the 100 run mark.
Edward got to 49 after facing 39 balls with 10 fours, but he went for one shot too many and was bowled by Javed Leacock. Hamilton used up 51 balls in getting to 45, but he was the last wicket to fall with the score on 138.
That score was never going to be enough on what was still a good batting surface, even as the Hurricanes got the early wicket of opener Leniko Boucher for nine at 19 for one.
Skipper Mayers ensured that his team kept the run chase intact, as he and McCaskie put on a 111-run second-wicket partnership. Mayers got to 55, with three fours and four sixes, before he was caught off Edward.
Five runs later, Edward struck again, as McCaskie followed his captain back into the pavilion after scoring a well-played 60 from 59 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Kraigg Brathwaite, batting down the order, along with Kevin Wickham, scored three and four respectively to see the Pride over the line without further loss, at 138 for 3 in 23.3 overs.
In the other early second-round encounter, the match between the Windward Islands Volcanoes and the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the UWI ground was abandoned without a ball being bowled.