It took double Carib Beer defending regional first -class cricket champions Barbados just under an hour yesterday to complete an emphatic 10-wicket victory over Guyana at the Kensington Oval. The four-day Carib Beer first round clash ended at 11:48am when opener Kirk Wilkinson celebrated his call up to the West Indies one-day team by hitting injured pacer Esuan Crandon over cover for a boundary in the first over of the innings to finish the match in style.
A handful of die-hard spectators watched as Barbados, with 18 titles since sponsored regional first-class cricket began in 1966, reached eight without loss from five balls in their second innings after Guyana were bowled out for 321 on a good track for batting, in hot conditions.
Wilkinson (4) and Sherwin Campbell (1) were the not out batsmen as the home team collected the maximum 12 points to record the second outright win in the first round following the win in three days by West Indies 'B' over Kenya.
After showing grit and determination on the third day to give themselves a chance of trying to save the match yesterday, the Guyana batsmen were sent packing in quick succession after they began the final day on 307-6 needing 314 to make Barbados bat again.
The day began badly for Guyana when Vice-Captain Mahendra Nagamootoo, unbeaten on an attacking 40 overnight, seemed very unlucky to be given out LBW by umpire Vincent Bullen to a ball from Ian Bradshaw that seemed to be heading down the leg side.
Nagamootoo's 44 included six fours and lasted 78 balls
and 110 minutes and he was soon followed into the pavilion seven runs later by skipper Neil McGarell (1) to leave the score on 319-8.
Bradshaw, who again bowled impressively, induced McGarrell to pull a short ball to square-leg while Travis Dowlin was run out looking for a second run to signal the end for Guyana.
Dowlin, 33 overnight, played some confident shots before he took on the arm of Tino Best at square leg as he attempted to keep the strike and failed to beat an accurate return to wicket keeper Courtney Browne.
Dowlin hit five fours in his 39 from 115 balls and 196 minutes but it was too little too late for Guyana who had to play 'catch up' cricket from the time they were dismissed for 108 on the first day.
Pedro Collins, who had 4-31 in the first innings, then trapped Crandon LBW for one without addition to the score leaving Barbados the formality of scoring eight runs to register their second consecutive victory against Guyana at Kensinton Oval following their victory in 2002.
Bradshaw, one of four players asked to join the West Indies one-day squad in South Africa, finished with 4-69 to follow up his 2-22 and unbeaten 65 in the first innings.
The 29 year-old Bradshaw was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match and was supported by Tino Best who took 3-50. Collins and Ryan Nurse took the other wickets to fall to bowlers.
Barbados Captain Browne said he was always confident of beating Guyana despite hearing Guyana skipper Neil McGarrell say that his team would bat for two days after they ended the second day on 12-0 after Barbados had declared at 422-7.
"We always wanted to start well against Guyana who you know will win a few games and draw a few...so it was important for us to win here.
It is near impossible for a first class team in the West Indies to bat two days so I was never really worried at all and we expected to win easy today (yesterday)" Browne said after the game.
McGarrell said he was disappointed with the result and felt it was always going to be difficult to win after making 108 on the first day. He however noted that they were positives to be taken from the game after seeing the way the batsmen played in the second innings.
"Our batsmen did not show the type of commitment required at this level and our lack of match practice on pitches which had bounce showed up here. I think this was one of the slower pitches I have played on here and it was good to see Chattergoon, Arjune, Mahenrada and Dowlin putting up a fight in the second innings" McGarrell said.
The Guyana captain added that the loss of his two fast bowlers for most of the Barbados innings was also crucial and admitted that himself and leg-spinner Nagamootoo should have bowled a lot better.
"Because of the rain and not much proper practice in Guyana we always seem not to do too well if we play in Barbados and Jamaica first at the start of the season but as we go along we improve and I hope the same thing happens this year" McGarrell informed.
In 2002 when Guyana won the last of their seven regional first-class titles, they lost by 162 runs in Barbados in the first round and were beaten by seven wickets in Jamaica in the second round at Sabina Park.
Guyana now travel to Jamaica this morning for their second-round game which starts at Sabina Park on Friday and will hope for their first points in the competition as they do battle in the land of wood and water.