Barbados clinch it

With steely resolve amidst absorbing exchanges, Barbados regained the Busta Cup after completing a hard-fought triumph by six wickets over Trinidad and Tobago at Kensington Oval yesterday. Set 279 on a pitch that became increasingly low as the match went on, Barbados achieved the highest fourth innings total in the tournament, and did so comfortably in the end.

It was surely a big effort from almost everyone who batted yesterday, but the match was won mainly by a fourth-wicket partnership of 117 between Floyd Reifer and Roland Holder.

As they played with more assurance as the afternoon progressed, a crowd of about 2 000 made more and more noise in anticipation of Barbados' 17th regional first-class title.

Barbados finished the Cup competition level on 57 points with Guyana, but won the title because they had one more victory than the Guyanese. They have also earned home advantage for their International Shield semifinal against Jamaica starting on Friday.

Reifer, his place in the side questioned by many, justified his inclusion with a high-quality innings of 64 not out. It was highlighted by scorching drives through the covers and down the ground that brought him most of his six fours off 158 balls in three-and-ahalf hours.

When Holder joined him 45 minutes after lunch, Barbados were 156 for three and not yet in complete control. Holder, however, turned that around in no time with a series of dismissive shots against the threeman Trinidad and Tobago spin attack. Strategically sent at No. 5 ahead of Ryan Hinds, the veteran cracked 73 off only 99 balls. He spoilt his performance somewhat by getting himself out with an edged cut to the keeper when only six runs were needed for Barbados to record their fourth victory of the tournament and their third in succession.

Barbados won by six wickets at 4:18 p.m., but by no means was it a cake-walk.

There was a confident appeal for a run-out early in the day, Reifer was dropped two short of his half-century and after lunch Barbados' right-handers had to contend with a leg-spinner employing the tactic of bowling outside the legstump.

There was also a period when Trinidad and Tobago appeared to be in no hurry.

While Reifer and Holder, who shared the Man Of The Match award, performed the final rites, captain Sherwin Campbell, with a resolute half-century, and Philo Wallace paved the way with an opening stand of 76.

Trinidad and Tobago, who enjoyed a first innings lead of 74, failed to make an impression on a pitch their spinners would have fancied, but manager Ian Bishop was gracious in conceding defeat.

"You cannot take anything away from Barbados - batting on a last-day wicket with balls creeping along the ground," Bishop said. "They batted exceptionally well. Credit must go to them, but once again, our batting needs to stand up and be counted."

Barbados coach Hendy Springer said: "It's always a worry when you've got to chase so many runs with the ball keeping low. It was a worry yes, but not a major concern.

"As I told the guys in the team meeting yesterday, I don't think Barbados or any team should get to a stage where you are trying to save the game in the last hour of a third day. We had to play positively and intelligently."

The result bore many similarities to a contest between the same teams at the same ground ten years ago.

In the 1991 match, Trinidad and Tobago gained a first innings lead of 68, but Barbados won by nine wickets after reaching a winning target of 281 with the help of unbeaten centuries from Desmond Haynes and Carlisle Best.

The early play yesterday was a generally cautious period after Barbados resumed on 43 without loss. Campbell and Wallace dared not be drawn into careless mistakes and it took them almost an hour before the first boundary came up.

It came by way of a fierce pull from Wallace against left-armer Dave Mohammed, but the young spinner ended the opening stand when it was worth 76 and also put Barbados under some pressure by claiming another scalp 25 minutes later.

Wallace, in trying to turn a flatter ball onto the on-side, was bowled for 45 after batting for a shade under two hours, while left-hander Adrian Griffith, pushing uncertainly forward, gloved a simple slip catch.

Trinidad and Tobago could have won the pre-lunch session, but their wicket-keeper Keno Mason missed a leg-side stumping off Mohammed that would have earned them the wicket of Campbell when he was 39.

Campbell arrived at his patient half-century on resumption, but should have shown more urgency in trying to complete a second run after Reifer turned a ball down to backward square. Seemingly certain he was running away from the danger end, Campbell was stunned to see Lincoln Roberts making great distance coming in from the boundary and throwing down the stumps with a direct throw.

It brought Holder and Reifer together for their decisive stand.