B’dos lift Red Stripe Bowl title despite Hinds’ century
By Sean Devers in Jamaica
Stabroek News
September 2, 2002
A fighting 103 from West Indies player Wavell Hinds failed to save Jamaica from a 32-run defeat against Barbados at the Kaiser ground yesterday in the final of the 2002 Red Stripe Bowl regional one- day cricket competition.
Hinds hit eight boundaries from 140 balls in a losing cause as the home team reached 209 all out in 46.5 overs.
Spearheaded by an unbeaten 85 from Floyd Reifer and a solid 62 from Kirk Wilkinson, Barbados made 241-8 off their allotted 50 overs to lay the foundation for their fourth regional one-day title and first since Malcolm Marshall led them to top honors 14 years ago.
Reifer’s 85 lasted 99 balls and was decorated with four fours and four sixes while Wilkinson hit four fours from 112 balls in his knock before returning to take 2-5 including the wicket to finish the game.
This was the first victory by Barbados against Jamaica in a one-day game since 1998 and was sweet revenge for their 20-run defeat against the Jamaicans in the zone stage of the competition.
Jamaica began their reply in a carnival like atmosphere and urged on by a very vocal crowd, found themselves in early trouble in overcast conditions.
Leon Garrick was run out for a duck at 3-1 while Chris Gayle (3) touched a ball which left him to the ‘keeper as the home team slipped to 8-2 in eight overs.
Marlon Samuels and Wavell Hinds played with ‘nuff respect’ and struggled to get the ball away as the Bajan new ball pair of Vasbert Drakes and Ian Bradshaw tightened the screws with on target bowling and the required run rate kept climbing.
After Jamaica had crawled to 71 in 26 overs, Marlon Samules who hit the first boundary of the innings in the 19th over, was foolishly run out for 22 from 53 balls.
Samuels hit the ball towards the cover boundary. Substitute Dwayne Smith on the field for the injured Drakes had to run to his left to do the fielding. Samuels started running for what should have been an easy two only to find Hinds leaning on his bat at the other end.
Even though the return was wide, wicket keeper Courtney Browne had enough time to run to the non-strikers end to take the bails off and send a dejected Samuels on his way.
It soon got worse for Jamaica when Ricardo Powell (5) was clean bowled by Pedro Collins at 85-4 much to the dismay of the home fans who were getting increasingly impatient with their team.
With rain threatening and the Bajans large and in charge, not even the booming music in between overs could put the frustrated fans in a party mood as their team slipped closer to their first defeat of the competition.
Gareth Breese (15) and Hinds took the score to 114 before Corey Collymore knocked out Breese’s off stump to set the stage for a brief Jamaica revival.
Hinds and skipper Robert Samules who lashed two fours and two sixes in a quick-fire 28 from 20 balls, invoked life back into the crowd with enterprising batting to add 55 for the sixth wicket before Samuels was LBW to Pedro Collins at 171-6 with 11 over to go.
When Kirk Wilkinson removed David Bernard (3) and Keith Hibbert was run out for a duck in the same over to leave Jamaica on 188-8 the game was as good as over.
Hinds duly got to the second century of the tournament before falling in the same over to Collymore as he went on an all out attack to try and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
That was not to be and his hundred was a little too late for the Reggae boys as Wilkinson bowled Darren Powell for one to spark celebrations among the Bajan supporters.
Earlier, Barbados put into bat in brilliant sunshine before a large colorful crowd, raced to 36 in eight overs before Phillo Wallace was removed in spectacular fashion for 16 with three fours from 24 balls.
The powerful Wallace skied a ball from Jermaine Lawson miles into the air for Ricardo Powell running back from cover to take the catch diving full length forward.
Ryan Hinds (2) did not last long and was soon caught at mid-on pulling a short ball from Lawson to leave the Bajans, who last won a regional one-day title 12 years ago, on 47-2 in the 12th over.
Floyd Reifer, with three consecutive fifties in the competition and opener Kirk Wilkinson then combined to bring up the 50 in the 14th over and the 100 in the 28th, with intelligent batting on the slow outfield.
Shortly after posting his first half-century at this level from 98 balls with four boundaries, Wilkinson was well stumped off Ricardo Powell to leave Jamaica on 121-3 and end a fine 64-run third wicket stand.
Courtney Browne came out to join Reifer who was put down by wicket keeper Hibbert on 28 off Ricardo Powell after top edging a sweep.
The ball went high into the air and Hibbert settled under it just next to the batsman who had already given up all hope only to see the ball fall to the ground from his gloves much to the amazement of the vocal home crowd and stunned Jamaican players.
Browne, the former West Indies ‘keeper capitalized on being dropped on the square leg boundary by Hinds off Breese on 16 to belt the off-spinner for three sixes and a four in the same over as the Bajans picked up the tempo.
Browne, throwing caution to the winds, raced to 40 with four sixes and a four before he was taken by Breese on the mid wicket boundary to give Ricardo Powell his second wicket and leave the score on 179-4 with nine overs left in the innings.
Drakes and the consistent Reifer then carried Barbados to 205 before Drakes (13) was run out in a mix up with his runner.
Bradshaw (0) was bowled by Gayle at 225-6 while Antonio Mayers (1) edged Breese to the ‘keeper at 237-7 before Sulieman Benn (0) was run out off the final ball of the innings leaving Reifer unbeaten with 339 runs in the competition.
Lawson ended with 2-33 and Ricardo Powell 2-51 but the most economical bowler was Gayle who had 0-22 from 10 overs and escaped any punishment.
A crowd of about 7,000 were entertained by Jamaican Reggae artist Spragga Benz and the Renaissance sounds system during the lunch interval.
But they had little to shout about once play resumed as the boys from the land of the flying fish maintained control to set up their first win over Jamaica in two years despite the brief flurry from Hinds and his skipper.
Reifer was voted the MVP of the final four while Drakes took the ‘best bowler title, Wavell Hinds the ‘best bowler’ award, Gayle the best all rounder award and Vishal Nagamootoo the best ‘keeper award.