An inspired spell of bowling from 29 year-old left-arm pacer Ian Bradshaw and careless Trinidad batting combined to give defending champions Barbados a 61-run victory in another low-scoring but drama-filled Red Stripe Bowl regional one-day cricket semi-final at Kaiser ground yesterday.

Bradshaw grabbed the first four wickets in his first spell to reduce Trinidad to 23-4, a position from which they never recovered.

They were eventually all out for 114 in 36 overs in overcast conditions.

Medium pacer Dwayne Bravo captured 4-34 as Barbados were dismissed for 175 in 48.2 overs leaving his team the simple task of scoring at just 3.5 runs per over to qualify for their first Red Stripe Bowl final.

But Man-of-the-Match Bradshaw (10-2-22-5), Pedro Collins (2-26) and Vasbert Drakes (2-23) aided by loose shot selection from Trinidad, had other ideas and bowled Barbados to victory after their batsmen had let them down.

Bradshaw grabbed two wickets in two balls including the prized scalp of Brian Lara for a first-ball duck and then sent back skipper Daren Ganga three overs later to inflict telling body blows on Trinidad, who last won a regional senior title in 1996.

Imran Jan (5) was dropped by Cory Collymore at mid-on but in the same over played an irresponsible pull at a ball which kept low and had his stumps knocked all over the place.

Bradshaw trapped Lara LBW next ball to leave Trinidad on 10-2 in the second over, much to the disappointment of many spectators who came to see the West Indies captain bat.

Bradshaw, moving the ball both ways, quickly removed Ganga (9) and Bravo (6) to leave the lads from Carnival country on the ropes on 23-4.

Anile Kanhai (21) and Shazam Babwah (29) revived Trinidad’s hopes with a 49-run, fifth-wicket stand before they both fell in the space of four runs.

Bradshaw induced Kanhai to edge a catch to the ‘keeper at 72-5 while Babwah, Trinidad’s leading batsman in the competition, was bowled by Collins after hitting four fours in his 37-ball, 29.

With rain approaching and 23 overs completed, off spinner Hurley was introduced under dark gray skies and trapped Mervin Dillon (2) LBW at 79-7 as Trinidad, like Jamaica the day before, lost their grip on a game they were well set to win at the half way stage.

Gibran Mohammed and Dave Mohamed added 24 runs in light but continuous rain to see the 100 posted from 193 balls as the Bajans scented victory.

But Mohamed (12) edged Collins to the ‘keeper at 103-8, Ryad Emrit (0) was LBW to Vasbert Drakes two runs later while Mohammed (13) was removed by Drakes as Barbados qualified for their third Red Stripe Bowl final.

Earlier Barbados quickly lost experienced opener Sherwin Campbell (1), taken at wide third man off Dillon to leave Barbados on 10-1 after they had won the toss and surprisingly elected to bat on a track with preparation moisture.

Dale Richards (18) and the aggressive Dwayne Smith carried their team to 46 before Richards edged Emrit to the ‘keeper after hitting two fours from 38 balls in his innings.

Floyd Reifer joined Smith and the pair took the score to 75 before Barbados lost two quick wickets as Trinidad maintained the pressure in steaming heat.

The 20-year-old Smith, flicked Dillon for six over square leg after being struck painfully on his box and floored with the previous delivery. He also hit three fours in his 37 from 77 balls before being caught and bowled by leg spinner Dinanauth Ramnarine on the second attempt.

Reifer departed two runs later, caught behind off Emrit for 15 to leave Barbados, aiming to qualify for their third consecutive final, in trouble on 77-4.

It was soon 89-5 when Ryan Hinds (8) was bowled by Ramnarine as the Bajans struggled to get the ball away on the lightening fast outfield.

With Ramnarine and left-arm back of the hand spinner Mohamed bowling in tandem the run rate dipped after the 50 was posted in 88 balls.

Skipper Courntey Browne and Hurley joined forces and, with a well constructed 41-run sixth-wicket stand against controlled bowling took Barbados to 130 before Hurley had his off-stump knocked out by Bravo.

Hurley dumped Mohamed for big sixes in consecutive overs much to the delight of the small crowd as the 100 came up off 198 balls.

He also hit a four in his 23-ball 26 before he perished in the thirty-ninth over to make way for Drakes to join his skipper.

Browne, Barbados’ leading run scorer in the competition, made 23 but then edged a catch to the ‘keeper at 144-7 off Bravo who soon sent back Bradshaw (9) as Mohammed collected his fourth catch behind the wicket to leave the Barbados on 171-8.

Collins (2) had his stumps scattered at 175 by Dillon while Bravo completed the demolition job when Drakes (22) was bowled in the next over without addition to the score to end a disappointing batting performance from Barbados.

Bravo got good support from Emrit, Dillion and Ramnarine, who picked up two wickets each for Trinidad and Tobago who in the end, threw away a game they should have won despite the excellent bowling from Bradshaw.