Yankees do dandy

Kingston: It says little to report that it was a stunning victory. The question is was it as major as Buster Douglas' triumph over Mike Tyson ten years ago, Cameroon's unforgettable conquest against Argentina at football's World Cup of 1990, or Kenya's memorable thrashing of the West Indies in the 1996 cricket World Cup.

The general consensus from Ocho Rios in the north to Kingston in the south, from Negril in the west to Port Antonio in the east, is that it ranks among those. No one in their wildest dreams would have ever thought that Barbados, the most decorated team in regional cricket history, would lose a match to the United States, a collection of mainly Caribbean-born cricketers who no longer play the game seriously.

The Kensington Club ground in east Kingston was the venue where this astounding result occurred, and one is left to wonder why Barbados could raise only 129 in 38 overs. 'I know a lot of people would say that we came here complacent, but I would not,' coach William Bourne said. 'It's just that we batted very badly.'

'We've been looking all the time to get a batsman with a score. As the tournament progressed, we've been getting a few batsmen with a few scores, but this time we did not get anybody to put together a score. That was the basis of our low score.'

The Americans won by two wickets with six balls to spare, but few expected it to be such a close affair at the finish after the Americans had posted 98 for three.

Anyone would have gotten the impression that Barbados appeared to lack purpose and motivation. It was, after all, a match of only academic interest since they were already assured of a place in the Final Four following victories over Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and defending champions Jamaica.

Barbados predictably chose to bring in Dale Richards, Antonio Mayers and Callitos Lopez in place of captain Sherwin Campbell, Ian Bradshaw and Corey Collymore.

They were promptly sent in by the United States, and even though they did not set the place on fire in the first 15 overs, there were no signs at the time of what was to follow.

Adrian Griffith sliced a catch to backward point in the fourth over and Philo Wallace's disappointing run continued when he was lbw offering no stroke to fast bowler Alvin Howard, one of four players in the United States team who were born in Barbados.

It was only when Richards, the eventual topscorer with 22, followed in a dismissal that was similar to Griffith's, that the drama started to unfold.

Most of Barbados' batsmen were able to settle in, but they seemed satisfied with measly double-digit contributions.

Floyd Reifer, attempting to cut, might have been beaten by extra bounce, but it is difficult to excuse those like Courtney Browne, who was bowled attempting to drive or Antonio Mayers, who hit a catch down the lap of cover. All three were scalps to Rudi Narine, an off-spinner who was born in Guyana. He collected his fourth wicket when Ryan Hinds played across a full-toss and was bowled.

United States were on course during a third-wicket stand of 67 between former Jamaica middle-order batsman Richard Staple (31) and the Indian-born Anjam Khan (36), whose bold hitting brought him two-leg sides sixes. Ryan Hurley was typically mean with his off-breaks that earned him three for 34 from his 10 overs and there was support from almost everyone else with the ball.

The truth is that the total was always a small one, but the United States slipped up a bit when five wickets went down for 27. When it was over, the Americans were celebrating on the day Jamaicans celebrate Heroes Day.