Barbados Pride Defeats Trinidad & Tobago Red Force by 153 Runs in CG United Super50 Semifinal

The Barbados Pride revenged themselves on the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force on Wednesday, beating them by 153 runs in the first semifinal of the CG United Cricket West Indies Super50 Cup. Barbados are in the regional List A final for the first time since 2018.

The revamped Bajans compiled a mammoth total of 339-7 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago, behind three half-centuries and an excellent all-round performance from Roston Chase.

The Red Force won the toss and elected to field first in the day-night tilt. Terrance Hinds and Jyd Goolie come into the playing XI for Khary Pierre’s men. Chase, Nyeem Young, and Chemar Holder came into the side for the Pride.

It was the second matchup between the two in the past five days. The defending champions defeated the Pride by nine wickets on Saturday at Queens Park Oval in the final preliminary match, topping the table and dropping Barbados to fourth.

On Wednesday, however, Zachary McCaskie and wicketkeeper-batter Leniko Boucher laid a perfect platform, amassing the first 100 partnership this season for the Pride. By the 18th over, they were in three figures, mainly thanks to McCaskie.

The 28-year-old had made 162 from six innings, including two half-centuries, but also ducks in his last two matches, the most recent against the Red Force on the weekend. Here, though, he made his first 50 off 48 balls.

Isaiah Rajah bowled his first over of leg breaks in the 19th over, and McCaskie met him with three sixes. The 32-year-old Rajah had not appeared in this competition before last Saturday, and he neither batted nor bowled. Bringing his arm over for the first time since 2018 in List A cricket, his first six balls went for 20.

Not dissimilarly, Mark Deyal had not featured in the Super50 until last weekend, but he took 3-32 in that game with his offbreaks. On Wednesday, McCaskie chose to challenge the spinner, losing the challenge, and losing his wicket for 94 off 82 balls, six fours and six sixes.

Boucher brought up his fourth 50 this campaign, facing 62 balls and hitting four boundaries. At the halfway mark, the Pride were on 155-1, with captain Raymon Reifer at the other end with Boucher, the leading scorer this term for Barbados.

With the Pride cruising, however, Deyal struck again to have Boucher stumped for 69 from 84 balls, ending the 50 partnership. The Pride, though, were still well placed at 192-2 in the 32nd over, and centurion Kevin Wickham coming to the wicket to join his captain.

Wickham, 21 years old, hit 118 against the Leeward Islands at the end of October, but he would not play a major role in the semifinal, out for 14 off 15 balls, bowled by Khary Pierre.