However, the champagne bottles won’t be popped until they complete an expected sixth successive victory sometime today at the small Addelita Cancryn Ground in St Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.

It was the 19th regional first-class title for a nation that has now won the championship six times in the past ten seasons, repeating last year’s triumph.

Next week they will attempt to reach a perfect “seven-heaven” when they meet Trinidad and Tobago in south Trinidad. After that they will go after another repeat in The Carib Beer International Challenge.

Last night, however, the Bajans were feeling on top of the world after retaining the Cup on a day in which Sulieman Benn achieved the tenth hat-trick in regional first-class competitions and Sherwin Campbell batted through the innings on the way to a career-best unbeaten 211. < Read more >

Leewards hit for 6th - Sunday 15, February-2004

MUST BE OUT! Barbados keeper Courtney Browne and seamer Dwayne Smith bellowing a leg-before appeal as Carl Tuckett offered no stroke. He was given out for 42.

ADDELITA CANCRYN GROUND, Charlotte Amalie – Six down, one to go. Barbados are simply unstoppable it seems.
The repeat Carib Beer Cup champions maintained their 100 per cent winning record yesterday by completing a comprehensive innings victory over Leeward Islands.

It was achieved with a day and session to spare, much to the disappointment of hometown fans and the St Thomas Cricket Association, which was expecting a mammoth Sunday crowd.

In the circumstances, the two teams have agreed to play a limited-overs match today.

Barbados won by an innings and 48 runs after Leewards, with a first-innings deficit of 271, were dismissed for 223 five minutes after the scheduled tea break.

The victory pushed the runaway champions to 72 points and on the verge of a regional record with just their final preliminary match against Trinidad and Tobago to come.

Yesterday’s demolition of Leewards came mainly by way of Pedro Collins’ three wickets, along with two each to Ryan Hurley and Dwayne Smith, after Ian Bradshaw took care of both openers the previous evening.

Overall, it was a performance that pleased acting coach Hendy Wallace.

< Read more >