After being dismissed for a relatively modest 172 in 49.4 overs, the Canadians bounced back to rout Antigua for 138 in 40.2 overs on a placid pitch at the Beausejour Cricket Ground to take an early lead in Zone B.

Left-arm spinner Barry Seebaran (3-32) and off-spinner John Davison (2-25) combined to put the Antiguans in a spin while Grenadian-born fast bowler Davis Joseph captured two for 35 in a fine bowling and fielding display by the Canadians.

It was Canada’s first victory over a West Indian side since they entered the competition in 1995.

Earlier, 26-year-old fast-medium bowler Carl Simon returned the impressive figures of 10-5-21-4 in a dream regional One-Day debut as Canada declined from 66 for one, to 119 for seven after they were sent in to bat.

Canada’s final total was boosted by fast bowler Austin Codrington, who lashed a breezy 33 off 30 balls while former Guyana opener Fazil Sattaur top-scored for Canada with 36, with two consecutive sixes over backward square-leg off Simon.

In response, Antigua suffered a dramatic middle and lower order collapse, losing eight wickets for 54 runs after a second-wicket stand 48 between topscorer Sylvester Joseph (34) and opener Anthony Lake (25) was broken.

Seebaran triggered the Antiguan batting debacle with a double strike in the space of three balls when he prised out Lake and Ian Titlle for a duck but the turning point came in his next over when captain Ridley Jacobs' injudicious drive was taken at mid-off.

The slide continued when both Greg Skepple and Wilden Cornwall were run-out as Antigua slipped to 109 for nine.

There was a last-wicket flourish between Waldron and Adam Sanford before ex-Guyana captain Nicholas de Groot, who had been dismissed for a second-ball duck, bowled Waldron with his gentle medium pace to give the Canadians victory.

CANADA innings

F.Sattaur c wkp. Jacobs b Simon 36

I.Maraj c Joseph b Simon 10

D.Chumney lbw b Simon 15

N.de Groot c Joseph b Simon 0

J.Harris c Skepple b Cornwall 16

A.Bagai c wkp. Jacobs b Cornwall 19

J.Davison c Simon b Waldron 7

M.Croning run-out 7

A.Codrington c Waldron b Jeremy 33

B.Seebaran b Jeremy 3

D.Joseph not out 3

Extras: (b-1, lb-8, nb-5) 23

Total: (all out, 49.4 overs) 172

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-66, 3-66, 4-72, 5-106, 6-117, 7-119, 8-154, 9-162.

Bowling: Jeremy 8.4-1-22-2 (nb-1, w-2), Sanford 6-0-27-0, Simon 10-5-21-4 (w-1), Lake 10-2-33-0 (w-1, nb-1), Cornwall 9-0-35-2 (nb-2, w-2), Waldron 6-1-25-1 (nb-1, w-3).

ANTIGUA innings

A.Lake lbw b Seebaran 25

B.Baltimore b Joseph 5

S.Joseph lbw b Davison 34

I.Tittle c & b Seebaran 0

E.Waldron b de Groot 26

R.Jacobs c Joseph b Seebaran 1

G.Skepple run-out 8

W.Cornwall run-out 1

C.Simon c de Groot b Joseph 1

K.Jeremy c Codrington b Davison 0

A.Sanford not out 16

Extras: (nb-1, w-20) 21

Total: (all out, 40.2 overs) 138

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-55, 3-55, 4-86, 5-87, 6-97, 7-102, 8-106, 9-109.

Bowling: Codrington 6-1-13-0 (w-5), Joseph 8-0-35-2 (w-7, nb-1),de Groot 6.2-0-33-1 (w-2), Seebaran 10-1-32-3, Davison 10-0-25-2 (w-6).