Brathwaite, Carter help Pride stifle feisty Americas
– Kraigg Brathwaite’s disciplined, unbeaten half- century helped Barbados Pride overcome a few stumbles as they beat ICC Americas by four wickets to climb back into the race for a semi-final spot in the Regional Super50 here yesterday.
In pursuit of a hardly challenging 203 for victory, Pride found themselves floundering at two wickets down and without a run on the board, four balls into their innings at Queen’s Park Oval, after fast bowler Timroy Allen removed opener Dwayne Smith and number three batsman Shai Hope without scoring.
However, Brathwaite stood firm to stroke a typical obdurate 86 not out to guide his side to victory in the 37th over. Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich gathered a breezy 40, lefthander Jonathan Carter got 35 while Shamarh Brooks chipped in with 25.
Brathwaite faced 101 deliveries and struck nine fours, and picked up the Man-of-the-Match award for his efforts. For Pride, it was their first victory in three outings in Group A following successive defeats to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Jamaica Scorpions.
More importantly, the victory gave them a crucial bonus point, allowing them to narrow the gap on the second placed Jamaica Scorpions, to one.
Scorpions lie second on ten points, with Pride third on nine. Hosts and title-holders Red Force sit on top the group with 17 points.
Ask to field, Pride struggled to dispose of a feisty Americas side as Srimantha Wijeratne stroked 46 and Stephen Taylor, 41, to propel the batting effort before the innings closed in the final over.
Part-time seamer Carter was the best bowler with four for 37 while seamers Jason Holder (2-26) and Carlos Brathwaite (2-29) supported with two wickets apiece.
Holder trapped opener Ruvindu Gunasekera for 13 and Kraigg Brathwaite ran out Nitish Kumar with a direct throw from cover, to leave ICC Americas on 19 for two in the fifth over before Taylor and Wijeratne stitched up the innings in a 55-run, third wicket stand.
The left- handed Taylor was aggressive, smashing six fours and a six off 48 balls while Wijeratne was more measured in an 86-ball knock which included three fours.
Just when the stand was becoming dangerous, Taylor missed a sweep at off-spinner Ashley Nurse and was lbw at 74 for three at the end of the 16th over.
Right- hander Wijeratne then anchored a 43-run, fourth wicket stand with Alex Amsterdam to further frustrate Pride.
Amsterdam scored 21 off 33 deliveries with a boundary and was growing in confidence when Carlos Brathwaite returned in a new spell to have him caught by Kraigg Brathwaite at short cover off a slower ball.
Wijeratne eventually holed out to Roston Chase in the deep off Carter at 136 for five in the 34th over and ICC Americas continued to lose