An unbeaten half century from Kirk Edwards helped Barbados to register a four-wicket win over the Leeward Islands in yesterday’s opening Group B encounter of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) 50 overs competition at Sabina Park.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, the Leewards battled to a competitive total of 239 for eight on the back of a typically swashbuckling innings of 85 from captain Wilden Cornwall. Batting at number six, the veteran all-rounder provided late impetus to the innings after the top order failed to cope with the spin of Barbados captain Ryan Hinds and lanky bowler Sulieman Benn.

Leeward Islands openers Javia Liburd (28) and Montcin Hodge (39) started well with a stand of 51, before four wickets fell for a further 44 runs. This brought Cornwall to the wicket to partner Omari Banks in an enterprising fifth-wicket stand worth 125 runs.

Cornwall, who was bowled off a no-ball from pacer Kemar Roach early in his innings, was particularly severe on the medium pace of Dwayne Smith and spinner Marlon Graham. The climax of his cross-batted onslaught came in the 44th over when he crashed Graham for four sixes and a four.

Cornwall was eventually clean-bowled by Hinds when he missed a leg-side slog and in the process lost his bat, which flew metres away behind square. By then he had bludgeoned nine boundaries and five sixes off 59 balls. Banks made 41 from 57 balls, including a six.

Hinds took most wickets with three for 31 runs off 10 overs, while Benn finished with two for 24 off 10.

Chasing 240 for victory, Barbados batted sensibly to reach the target in 46 overs and four balls, thanks to an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand of 58 between Edwards and wicketkeeper/batsman Carlo Morris.

Edwards finished on 68 not out, while Morris made an undefeated 27 to settle the Barbados ship after Leewards threatened to get back into the game through the offspin of Justin Athanaze.

The right-handed Edwards, who featured in the recent West Indies ‘A’ tour of the United Kingdom, stroked his runs off 95 balls, while Hinds completed a good all-round showing when he earlier struck a fluent 51 off 60 balls.

Athanaze ended with three for 44, while Lionel Baker, Anthony Martin and Cornwall finished with one wicket a-piece.

Scoreboard

LEEWARDS

J Liburd b Stoute 28

M Hodge st Morris b Graham 39

C Hughes c Richards b Hinds 2

S Liburd lbw b Benn 11

O Banks c Stoute b Benn 41

*W Cornwall b Hinds 85

+J Hamilton run out 5

J Athanaze b Hinds 1

G Tonge not out 7

L Baker not out 2

Extras (lb8, w6, nb4) 18

TOTAL (8 wkts, 50 overs) 239

Did not bat: A Martin.

Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Javier Liburd), 2-58 (Hughes), 3-81 (Steve Liburd), 4-95 (Hodge), 5-220 (Cornwall), 6-222 (Banks), 7-224 (Athanaze), 8-230 (Hamilton).

Bowling: Roach 10-0-38-0, Smith 9-0-54-0, Hinds 10-1-31-3, Stoute 1-0-15-1, Benn 10-2-24-2, Graham 10-0-69-1.

BARBADOS

D Richards c Hughes b Baker 29

K Brathwaite c and b Martin 16

*R Hinds c Cornwall b Athanaze 51

K Edwards not out 68

K Carter lbw b Athanaze 17

K Stoute lbw b Athanaze 0

D Smith c Marin b Cornwall 25

+C Morris not out 27

Extras (lb1, w4, nb2) 7

TOTAL (6 wkts, 46.4 overs) 240

Did not bat: S Benn, M Graham, K Roach.

Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Richards), 2-71 (Brathwaite), 3-120 (Hinds), 4-149 (Carter), 5-149 (Stoute), 6-182 (Smith).

Bowling: Baker 8-1-37-1, Tonge 7.4-1-50-0, Martin 9-0-42-1, Cornwall 8-0-51-1, Athanaze 10-0-44-3, Hughes 4-0-15-0.

Result: Barbados won by four wickets.

Points: Barbados 4, Leewards 0.

Toss: Barbados

Umpires: N Malcolm, G Greaves.