Bowl of joy

DISCOVERY BAY, Jamaica - The smiles were as wide as the stretch from Nergril in the west to Port Antonio in the east.

The singing in the dressing room was not in the class of a Beres Hammond, but to the Barbados team it was sweet music to the ears.

The wait was finally over.

The despondency of labouring 14 years without a limited-overs championship was transformed into the euphoria of frenzied celebrations for Barbados here yesterday after their clinical capture of the Red Stripe Bowl with a victory by 33 runs in a gripping final against Jamaica at the Kaiser Sports Club.

Away victory

Fittingly, Barbados chose the hosts' backyard to win the region's One-Day title they last clinched in 1988 when Jamaica were also their opponents in this northern Caribbean country.

Captain Courtney Browne, overcome with emotion as teammates cheered loudly in the dressing room, said this success was even sweeter than any of the five first-class championships he had featured in since making his debut in 1991.

"My expressions and words cannot truly reflect how I feel," Browne told the DAILY NATION. "This is the biggest thing. Not winning a regional One-Day tournament is something that has haunted Barbados over the years. It is a great feeling.

"From the time I came into the Barbados team, it has always been said that we don't win regional One-Day tournaments. I knew this year we had the best chance because we had a very balanced team."

On completion of the match, every Bajan embraced each other and when the crystal Bowl was presented, they freely drank the sponsors' beer from it as if it were water.

Barbados, sent in, made 241 for eight from their 50 overs mainly on the strength of tournament MVP Floyd Reifer's unbeaten 86, Kurt Wilkinson's 62, Browne's whirlwind 40 and were assisted by the butter-fingered Jamaicans, who missed four chances.