Jamaica clinch final berth in nailbiting finish

It's the Windward Islands versus Jamaica in the WICB Regional 4-Day Challenge Final starting on Friday at the Beusejour Stadium.

Following the Windwards comprehensive 234 run victory over Trinidad & Tobago in three days at Queen's Park Oval, Jamaica made heavy weather of scoring 61 runs needed for victory with eight second innings wickets in hand on Tuesday's 4th and final day at Kensington Oval, before defeating Barbados by 1-wicket on a hard pitch in sunny conditions.

Resuming on 106-2, the pair of Jermaine Blackwood 53 not out and Andre McCarthy 41 not out overnight, had added 86 on Monday for the 3rd wicket, rescuing Jamaica from 20-2.

But upon reaching 111, the partnership of 91 was broken, and all hell broke loose. Blackwood went for 64 and McCarthy 43 as Jamaica slipped from 111-2 and lost 7-wickets for 56 runs as they scrambled across the line at 167-9. Nikita Miller hit the winning run. Kevin Stoute 5-29 and Sulieman Benn 3-78 undermined Jamaica's bid for the final, but Nikita Miller and Dave Bernard Jr took the northern Caribbean team to victory.

Jamaica will stay on the road and face the Windwards in the 4-day Challenge final starting on Friday.

Final scores: Barbados 245 and 223; Jamaica 302 and 167-9.

Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert was named man of the match, for his match winning innings of 121 in Jamaica's first innings.