Jamaica Tallawahs secure nervy win to move off the bottom

Jamaica were bundled out for 127 after being asked to bat, with Sandeep Lamichhane returning 2/17. A large portion of their total was made up by Glenn Phillips' 35-ball 41, and Ramaal Lewis’ 22-ball 27 late in the innings boosted the score after they were reduced to 89/4.

Jamaica had till this point won just one in seven matches, and it seemed that would extend to eight matches when Barbados openers Johnson Charles and Alex Hales got off to good starts. Hales’ scored a run-a-ball 16, including a four and two sixes off George Worker’s left-arm spin, before falling to Zahir Khan, while Charles hung around for a 35-ball 31, hoping to guide the chase through to the end.

However, wickets fell in a flurry at the other end. Justin Greaves (6 off 12), JP Duminy (3 off 5) and Jonathan Carter (17 off 15) were all seen off, and when Charles joined them back in the dugout, after becoming Shamar Springer’s second victim, Barbados had slipped to 78/5.

That became 90/8 when captain Jason Holder (2), Ashley Nurse (4) and Roshon Primus (2) were dismissed in quick succession, as the momentum swerved Jamaica's way. It was then that Raymon Reifer launched his desperate assault. He took 15 runs off Springer’s penultimate over to reduce the equation to 15 off the final over.

Then, a six off Dwayne Smith in the final over helped reduce the equation to six off the final three balls. Smith, however, made up for his disappointing outing with the bat to deceive Reifer with a slower one, and that was that.

Springer, who ended with 3/32 from four overs and was named Player of the Match, later said: “Was too close for comfort, a bit nervy in the end. We just have to take one game at a time and play positive cricket.”

The victory helped Jamaica to four points from eight matches, and lifted them one spot to No.5 on the table. Barbados are level on points with them, but have played two matches less and have a better net run-rate.