Red Stripe Bowl: Tough ride ahead for international teams

If the opening day results of this year's Red Stripe Bowl are any indication, then Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands and the United States will all have trouble making an impact against more seasoned West Indian regional opponents.

Leeward Islands, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica all scored easy wins on the opening day of the West Indies' regional one-day championships against their international opponents. Nonetheless, instant success is not the expectation for the ICC associate and affiliate entrants in this tournament, for whom it represents a step a long-term developmental strategy.

Laurie Williams took 5/12 from nine overs as Jamaica cruised to an easy 107- run victory over the USA at Kaiser Sports Club, Discovery Bay, Jamaica yesterday.

Jamaica set the ball rolling with an effortless 264 for 4 in their fifty overs, with scores from Marlon Samuels (59*), Keith Hibbert (55), Wavell Hinds (46), Brendon Parchment (42) and a swashbuckling 18-ball 37 from Franklyn Rose.

The United States made a creditable start and were 110 for 1 when Williams was brought into the attack at the start of the 33rd over. The West Indian one-day seamer cut a swathe through the American middle order, the northern visitors struggling onwards to finish their fifty overs on 157 for 7. Dave Wallace was top score for the US with 44.

Barbados needed just 32.4 overs to overhaul the target of 139 for victory set by Canada at the Kensington Club ground in Kingston. Muneeb Diwan's 61 was the standout in a Canadian innings of 138, achieved in 48.2 overs. Hendy Bryan (3/34) was the most successful of the Barbados bowlers. The loss of Philo Wallace without a run on the board was but a temporary setback for Barbados, Sherwin Campbell (33) and Floyd Reifer (69 from 72 balls) setting the pace as they cruised to an easy win by seven wickets. The experienced Brian Rajadurai, who played first-class cricket in Sri Lanka in the 1980's, was the most impressive of the Canadian bowlers, taking 1/34 with his legbreaks.

Bermuda's Janeiro Tucker was the highest scorer for either side as the Leeward Islands despatched their international opponents by five wickets at the Antigua Recreation Ground, St John's, yesterday.

Tucker made 57 in a Bermudan total of 129 all out in 46 overs. Opening bowlers Goldwin Prince (4/22) and new West Indies international Kerry Jeremy (3/27) did most of the damage.

The Leewards lost early wickets and at one stage were 74 for 4, however their run-rate was well in advance of Bermuda's. Dave Joseph (36) and Keith Arthurton (30*) saw the home side through to victory with almost eleven overs to spare. Left-arm spinner Hassan Durham (2/23 from ten overs), who took the new ball, was the most impressive of the Bermuda bowlers.

Carl Hooper is back. For now anyway. Making first appearance in Caribbean cricket since April 1999, Hooper scored 41 from 43 deliveries as Guyana crushed the Cayman Islands by 139 runs at Ronald Webster Park, Anguilla. Keith Semple (79) and Azeem Haniff (40) were the other major contributors to the Guyanese fifty overs total of 224 for 9. Mahendra Nagamootoo took 5/23 from ten overs as the Caymans, batting a man short through injury, were dismissed for 75 in 33.5 overs. A rain interruption meant that their target was adjusted under the Duckworth-Lewis method to 215 from 46 overs. Reon King (2/9) and Colin Stuart (1/26) were the other wicket-takers for Guyana.

For the Cayman Islands, their star player of the day was all-rounder Laurie Cunningham, who took 4/31 from seven overs with his off-breaks, and then made 22 - one of only two Cayman batsmen to reach double figures.

The pick of Thursday's matches sees Barbados take on Trinidad, while Guyana face the Windwards. Bermuda play the Caymans, while the USA and Canada continue the oldest rivalry in international cricket, one which began in 1844.