PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Penetrative bowling from Krishmar Santokie was upstaged by a stroke-filled half-century from Darren Bravo, as Trinidad & Tobago made Jamaica pay for their indifference in a 49-run victory in the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship on Wednesday.

Jamaica unsuccessfully pursued a victory target of 158 from their allocation of 18 overs in the final Group A match under the lights at a rain-drenched Queen’s Park Oval.

Dwayne Bravo formalised the result with five balls to spare, when he bowled Nikita Miller for two, much to the delight of a crowd that was officially estimated at 13,500.

The result meant that T&T finished at the top of the group with a perfect 12 points from three straight victories, and Jamaica finished in the runners-up position, following two wins and a defeat.

Both had already qualified for the semi-finals today at the same venue, and await the outcome of yesterday’s decider in Group-B between old rivals Barbados and Guyana.

Heavy showers in the T&T capital lashed the ground, but the crowds continued to swell, and waited patiently for umpires Clyde Duncan and Clancy Mack to conduct two inspections before deciding the contest would start an hour later than scheduled with each side restricted to a maximum of 18 overs.

In the prevailing conditions, it was not surprising, when Jamaica sent T&T in to bat, and Santokie bowling a full length, and gaining appreciable movement through the air, collected five wickets for 24 runs in his allotted four overs.

But Bravo, playing for the first time in the competition, struck four fours and three sixes in 65 from 44 deliveries, as T&T posted a respectable 157 for seven in 18 overs.

Bravo reached his 50 from 35 balls, when he edged a loose drove from left-arm spinner Nikita Miller past keeper Carlton Baugh Jr to third man for his third four.

The left-hander added an important 69 for the fifth wicket with his elder brother Dwayne, the West Indies all-rounder, and enhanced his reputation as a batsman for the future with some entertaining strokes.

The elder Bravo then set Jamaica back early, when he trapped opener Brenton Parchment, also playing for the first time in the CT20, for a first-ball duck in the first over.