Defending champions Barbados Pride secured a six-wicket win against the Jamaica Scorpions with a day to spare at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua on Friday
The Scorpions started the day 6-0 after four overs, trailing the Pride by 69 runs.
The day started terribly for the Jamaicans as the second ball of the day saw Akeem Jordan bowl Leroy Lugg for two.
Debutant Tevin Gilzene was next to go for nine, caught by Shayne Moseley off the bowling of Jordan in the seventh over.
Captain Paul Palmer Jr then joined Kirk McKenzie at the crease but didn’t last long, becoming Jordan’s third victim of the day for one to leave the Scorpions in a spot of bother at 21-3 after 11 overs.
Two and a half overs later, Jamaica lost their fourth wicket when Aldane Thomas was dismissed by Shamar Springer for three.
Not long after, Abhijai Mansingh became wicket number four for Jordan on the day after nicking off for a duck to leave the Scorpions 25-5 in the 15th over.
Jamie Merchant was next in and added 12 for the seventh wicket with McKenzie before he fell for 10 in the 19th over with the score on just 36.
It was then Marquino Mindley’s turn to face the music alongside McKenzie. The pacer reached one off seven balls before he became Springer’s second wicket to leave Jamaica reeling at 56-7 off in the 22nd over, with debutant Ojay Shields joining McKenzie in the middle.
In the midst of the carnage at the other end, McKenzie brought up his maiden First-class fifty off 67 balls in the 28th over.
McKenzie (54) and Ojay Shields (17) were the not out batsmen as the Scorpions entered the lunch break 101-7 from 29 overs, holding a slim 26-run lead over the Bajans.
After bringing up their 50 partnership shortly after lunch, McKenzie finally fell for a top score of 56 off 78 balls to leave the Scorpions 106-8.
Gordon Bryan joined Shields at the wicket and the pair put on 17 before Shields was next to go for 22 in the 37th over with the score on 123.
Bryan, playing only his second First-class game, then provided some handy runs at the end, putting on 28 for the final wicket with Patrick Harty before being the last man dismissed for 42 off 64 balls.
In the end, the Scorpions limped to 151 all out in 45.5 overs, leaving the Pride needing just 77 to win.
Pace did the job for Barbados as Akeem Jordan continued his excellent form with the ball with 4-65 off 17 overs while Jair McAllister finished with 3-35 from 11 overs and Shamar Springer picked up two wickets.
The defending champions then needed just 29.2 overs to get to their target, reaching 78-4 to complete a six-wicket win.
Zachary McCaskie scored 26 against Patrick Harty’s 3-26 from 9.2 overs.
Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 140 off 54.5 overs (Jamie Merchant 35, Tevin Gilzene 32, Abhijai Mansingh 27, Shamar Springer 3-11, Camarie Boyce 3-26, Akeem Jordan 3-48) and 151 off 45.5 overs. (Kirk McKenzie 56, Gordon Bryan 42, Akeem Jordan 4-65, Jair McAllister 3-35, Shamar Springer 2-38)
Barbados Pride 215 off 69.5 overs (Shayne Moseley 82, Shane Dowrich 64*, Patrick Harty 4-23, Marquino Mindley 2-25, Abhijai Mansingh 2-30) and 78-4 off 29.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 26, Jonathan Drakes 19, Shemar Springer 11*, Shane Dowrich 5*, Patrick Harty 3-26)