BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – All-rounder Dwayne Smith returned to haunt his former team Barbados Tridents as Jamaica Tallawahs inflicted a demoralizing five-run defeat on the hosts Barbados Tridents, in a low-scoring, last-over thriller at Kensington Oval on Monday night.
With Tridents needing 15 runs off the last over in pursuit of a paltry 128, Barbadian Smith – ignored by his home franchise in this year’s draft – then conceded only nine runs and grabbed the key wicket of Raymon Reifer, to deliver victory for Tallawahs.
Tridents put their noses in front when Sandeep Lamichhane scrambled a single off the first ball and Reifer then cleared the ropes at square leg, leaving eight runs to get from the last four balls of the over.
Reifer skied the third ball into the deep for a couple but Smith then exacted revenge off the fourth delivery, inducing the left-hander to loft a slower ball to Shamar Springer at deep cover.
Tridents were still in with a chance with six runs needed off the last two deliveries but Smith kept Lamichhane scoreless off both in a dramatic finish.
Opener Johnson Charles top-scored with a painstaking 31 off 35 balls while Reifer’s 26 came from just 12 balls down the order and managed to re-energised a feeble run chase.
The result for the hosts extended their wretched run at the Oval to eight straight defeats dating back to the 2017 season, and was their fourth in six outings overall for the current campaign.
Tallawahs, meanwhile, kept alive their slim playoff hopes with what was only their second win of the campaign – both coming over Tridents.
Both teams now have four points but Tridents remain fourth courtesy of net run rate while Tallawahs lie fifth.
