Top teams continue to dominate in the fifth round

A brilliant bowling performance by left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell saw Guyana thump Trinidad & Tobago by five wickets in the fifth round Busta Cup encounter between the two teams at the Albion Sports Complex, Berbice, Guyana.

After dismissing Trinidad & Tobago for 230 in the first innings, the Carl Hooper-led Guyanese side replied with 343. For the home team, opener A Haniff made 67, while Shivnarine Chaderpaul made 76. Hooper was also among the runs, making 44. Marlon Black, who claimed four wickets, was the most successful bowler for Trinidad & Tobago.

The Trinidad second innings proved to as pathetic as their first, despite a 60 from opener IH Jan and a 52 from captain Richard Smith. McGarrell claimed four wickets for Guyana.

The home team, led by opener Sewanine Chattergoon, then, knocked off the 150 runs they needed to win. Guyana claimed 12 points from the match.

Leeward Isles beat Windward Isles by ten wickets in the encounter at the AO Shirley Recreation Ground, Tortola. Runkao Morton, who made 103 in the Leeward first innings, was the standout batsman in a match dominated by his team.

After winning the toss, Windward made just 233 despite a 70 from wicket-keeper Junior Murray.

Leeward, aided by the Runako Morton hundred, and fifties from FA Adams and Ridley Jacobs, amassed 367 in reply. Fast bowler Kerry Jeremy, then, consolidated his team's advantage by claiming six wickets, as the Windward Isles were dismissed for just 200 in their second innings.

With just 67 to get, Leeward captain Stuart Williams, who made an unbeaten 42, and his opening partner FA Adams (27*) sealed their team's win without any great fuss.

Jeremy, who claimed nine wickets, was named man of the match in the game which saw his team claim 12 points for their convincing win.

Barbados, for their part, were outstanding in their ten-wicket win over Bangladesh 'A'.

Fast bowlers Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore claimed eight and six wickets respectively as Bangladesh A were dismissed for 293 and 161 in their two innings.

Bangladesh A's capitulation in their second innings came after an impressive performance by the Barbados batsmen. Hundreds from Sherwin Campbell and Floyd Reifer ensured that they piled on 449 for five before declaring their first innings. This left the home team needing just six runs for victory in their second innings, the fourth innings of the match. Their openers completed the task without any fuss.

Reifer was named man of the match for his unbeaten 127. Barbados were rewarded with 12 points for their win.

Jamaica consolidated their position at the top of the table, with a nine-wicket win over West Indies B at the Botanical Gardens, Roseau, Dominica.

Opener Leon Garrick, who made 138, and captain Robert Samuels, who made an unbeaten 106, played outstanding hands in a Jamaican first innings of 462 for seven declared. Off-spinner Gareth Breese, then, claimed five wickets for the Jamaicans as West Indies B were dismissed for just 179.

Following on, the West Indies B batsmen put up a much better show, led from the front by captain Roland Holder, who made an unbeaten 112. Breese again was the best bowler on view, claiming another five wickets to take his match haul for ten as West Indies B were dismissed for 321.

The Jamaican batsmen ensured that their star bowlers' efforts were not wasted, sealing a nine-wicket win. Breese was deservedly named man of the Match. Jamaica claimed 12 points from the match to take their tally to 51 at the end of round five.