BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) - Courtney Browne, captain of double champions Barbados, is pleased with the winning start his side made to the 2004 Carib Beer Series on Monday, handsomely defeating Guyana by 10 wickets in the clash of the champions at Kensington Oval.

After securing a match-winning 314-run first innings lead, title-holders Barbadians cruised to victory before lunch on Monday after they were set a mere eight runs to win.

“We always wanted to start good,” Browne said after the game. “It’s very important and especially against Guyana. When you can knock over Guyana, you know that Guyana will win a few games, will draw a few games against the other teams so you always get that head start,” Browne added.

Guyana, the reigning limited overs champions, crashed to 108 all out in their first innings as left-arm pacer Pedro Collins bagged four for 31.

Barbados, behind centuries from Floyd Reifer (133) and Kurt Wilkinson (116) then piled up 422 for seven declared, before man-of-the-match Ian Bradshaw (4-65) and Tino Best (3-52) restricted the visitors' second innings total to 321 all out, which was not enough to save the game.

Guyana captain Neil McGarrell lamented his team’s lack of practice coming into the game because of rainy weather in Guyana.

“We started off badly in the first innings,” McGarrell said. “The batsmen weren’t committed earlier on. The ball was swinging around a bit and lack of practice showed in the end that they weren’t able to get in line with the ball,” McGarrell said.