Willoughby makes it a gloomy day for Bajans

The ugly clouds that hovered over Kensington Oval for most of yesterday was in keeping with the performance of the Barbados team in the middle.

And anyone who chose to leave home after they were certain that the match against South Africa 'A' had started, would have missed most of the disappointing display.

Within five overs, the cream of the batting was gone. The first four wickets, including those of captain Philo Wallace and Ryan Hinds, were despatched with only six runs on the tins, and by midday the innings was ended in spite of a stoppage for rain.

Barbados' 89 all out in 27.3 overs was in some way due to Charl Willoughby's outstanding, varied left-arm fast bowling, but the truth is there were many elements of the batting that left a lot to be desired.

Team coach William Bourne was spot-on in his assessment.

'We did not bat very well, even though the pitch was helpful,' Bourne said after South Africa completed their comfortable seven-wicket victory by reaching a reduced target of 76.

'Some of the batsmen got themselves into a fairly reasonable batting position and then basically gave their wickets away.

'We have not done as well as we should have. If we had applied ourselves much better, we could have had at least 150 runs.'

The only ones who tried to make a fight of it were wicket-keeper Courtney Browne, whose 22 off 26 balls included a scorching coverdrive and two other off-side boundaries off successive balls; his Cable & Wireless BET team-mate Adrian Brathwaite, and Ian Bradshaw, left not out on 17 after coming in at No. 9.

Willoughby, a 25-year-old who enjoyed an outstanding domestic South African season in which he took 50 wickets in nine matches for Boland, removed both Wallace and Hinds and added a further four scalps to finish with six for 24 from nine overs.

Skipper Wallace fell to the day's second ball, giving a catch to the 'keeper when he failed to get his bat out of the line, while Hinds was one of those deceived by the several slower balls Willoughby sent down.

Opener Mike Maynard, one of four players in senior Barbados colours for the first time, was another deceived by the change of pace and snicked a drive to first slip in the third over.

Chris Humphey, another first-timer, was pinned on the back foot by Victor Mpitsang, the 20-year-old South African who came to the Caribbean two years ago to represent the UWI Vice-Chancellor's XI.

The first of the day's two stoppages came after 40 minutes when Barbados were already in dire straits at 12 for four. There was further trouble on resumption when Shawn Graham was embarrassed by a delivery from Willoughby to which he shouldered arms and was obviously lbw.

Browne replaced him and immediately triggered loud cheers from some of the Hockey Festival participants in the Garfield Sobers Pavilion. His innings, however, was too brief and was ended by a sliced drive that resulted in a catch to point.

Ryan Hurley, as always, will go after the bowling, and paid the price for trying to lift medium-pacer Justin Kemp over mid-off.

When Willoughby returned for another spell, there was another soft dismissal with Brathwaite steering a slower ball to first slip.

Barbados were 73 for eight and in spite of the presence of Bradshaw, batting in the identical position in which he made his impressive half-century against the same opponents a few days ago, the result was already inevitable.

Only the heavy shower that interrupted the South Africans' innings after four overs, could have prevented the visitors from completing their win. There was no play for almost two hours, but on resumption, the target: 76 from 37 overs, was attained.

Left-armer Bradshaw claimed two wickets against batsmen guilty of playing across the line, but the runs were simply not enough for Barbados.