Smith and Carter set up easy Barbados win

Barbados kept the winning streak going for teams batting first in the Nagico Super50 with a 28-run win over Trinidad & Tobago. Jonathan Carter was named Man of the Match for his 109 which followed the fastest half-century of this year's tournament from Dwayne Smith, who raised it in 39 balls and finished with 83 off 72 deliveries.

Barbados won the toss and elected to bat but Smith and fellow opener Kraigg Brathwaite had to wait an hour and 47 minutes to come to the crease after light rain delayed the start of play and caused the match to be reduced to a 45-over contest. Smith raced away once play got underway, striking five boundaries off the first 10 balls he faced. He had his share of good fortune, though, with two thick edges that flew over the slips to the third-man rope, followed later on by a six in similar fashion.

T&T made inroads at the other end with Brathwaite bowled through the gate for 2 by Dwayne Bravo and Rashidi Boucher defending down the wrong line to legspinner Imran Khan to be trapped in front for 13 making it 57 for 2. Carter joined Smith and the pair added 103 for the third wicket in a stand that could have been curtailed much earlier with the score on 68 for 2 and Smith on 47. Carter was on strike and chopped a Lendl Simmons delivery into the covers where Bravo fielded and fired for the striker's end with Smith four yards short of the desired single but the throw was just wide of the stumps.

By the time Smith was out in the 29th over, Barbados was firmly in control. Carter took 66 balls to reach his first 50, but with the big platform laid by Smith he started to unleash himself later in the innings, hoisting a series of sixes over the leg side and brought up his century off 106 balls. Kevon Cooper finally managed to dislodge him with a yorker in the 42nd over to make it 251 for 5 and a flurry of late wickets prevented a late burst from Barbados as they finished on 269 for 8. Rayad Emrit claimed two in the final over and finished with 4 for 50.

T&T struggled to get momentum going in their innings with Jason Holder claiming both openers cheaply to make it 25 for 2. Darren Bravo played with the most fluency in his side to make a run-a-ball 40. He gave some harsh treatment early on to Sulieman Benn, including a six over cow corner to start the 19th over, but Benn got his revenge one ball later as Darren missed a heave and was bowled. Benn accounted for Dwayne two overs later, trapping him with an arm ball for 16, and would eventually finish with 4 for 39.

With the score at 184 for 8, only Denesh Ramdin stood in the way of a Barbados win with the wicketkeeper making 48 not out off 40 balls at No. 8. He added 34 for the ninth wicket with Khan to keep the remote chance of a win alive but Khan was eventually bowled by Smith for 7 and Emrit was runout drifting out of his crease off a wide to end the match. Holder bowled an impressive spell to finish with 3 for 29. Barbados is now second in Zone B, one point behind Combined Campuses and Colleges who are in first due to their bonus point win over Leeward Islands.