Barbados claim the Busta Cup

It was celebration time at Kensington Oval yesterday after Barbados captured their 17th West Indies first-class title.

Flying fish and cou-cou proved sweeter and more enduring than crab and callaloo as the home team's batsmen turned back the challenge of Trinidad and Tobago's trio of spinners to achieve a winning target of 279 comfortably.

They did so for the loss of only four wickets to complete the highest fourth innings total in the 2001 tournament's 28 matches.

Moments after they were presented with the Busta Cup before 2 000 supporters, team members and officials were joined in prayer by the Reverends Wes Hall and Neilsen Waithe in the dressing room of the Garfield Sobers Pavilion.

Champagne then flowed freely.

Skipper Sherwin Campbell acknowledged the contribution of every single team member and made special mention of Ian Bradshaw, captain for the first six matches when Campbell was on duty with the West Indies team in Australia.

"It's very easy to captain these guys. They are very experienced and it's a good feeling to come back and win the Cup again," Campbell said.

"We were always confident from yesterday (Sunday) that we would get these runs. We knew that we didn't bat well in the first innings, but we decided in the second innings to go out and put our heads down and win the game."

Barbados ended the competition on 57 points - the same as Guyana - but won the title because they won more matches.

They have also earned home advantage for their semifinal Busta International Shield encounter against Jamaica starting Friday. England "A"and Guyana meet in the other play-off.

Campbell, who made 55 and fellow opener Philo Wallace, with 45, provided the early foundation in a first-wicket partnership of 76. The match-clinching century partnership came from Floyd Reifer and Roland Holder, who shared the Player-Of-The-Match award.

The left-handed Reifer finished "with 64 not out, while Holder was dismissed for 73 just before the target was reached.