Raymon Reifer contributed with both bat (31* in 20 balls) and ball (3-31) to help Barbados Royals beat Jamaica Tallawahs by 15 runs in Match 6 of the Caribbean Premier League 2021 at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts.
Jamaica were chasing 162 after Reifer and Glenn Phillips (56* in 46) forged an unbroken 79-run sixth-wicket stand for Barbados. Reifer then took three key wickets, including Andre Russell’s, to restrict Jamaica to 146/9.
Earlier, the top three Barbados batters – Johnson Charles (25), Shai Hope (7) and Kyle Mayers (1) – stumbled again after Jason Holder won the toss and opted to bat. They all fell inside the Powerplay as Barbados were reduced to 35/3, and then 51/4, courtesy Migael Pretorius (1-39) and Veerasammy Permaul (2-15).
Azam Khan (13) struggled throughout his 17-ball stay while adding 31 with Phillips. His innings came to an end after Chris Green took an excellent diving catch in the 13th over, bowled by Rovman Powell (1-21). Barbados were left reeling on 82/5 at this point.
Reifer and Phillips took charge from there, and did not look behind. They acquired 31 off the final two overs to take Barbados to 161/5.
Coming to the chase, Chadwick Walton (3) and Kennar Lewis (10) failed to provide Jamaica with a blistering start, something they were able to 24 hours ago against Saint Lucia Kings. Haider Ali (7) and Powell (9) did not last long either as Jamaica slipped to 33/4 in 5.2 overs.
Shamarh Brooks and Carlos Brathwaite held the fort, adding 66 for the fourth wicket before Reifer returned in the 15th over, and dismissed Brathwaite (29). In the same over, he got Russell for a golden duck, and from there, Jamaica had no way to reach the target.
Pretorius (15 in 7) played a breezy cameo, but Brooks (47 in 45) did not manage to shift the gear before he nicked Thisara Perera (2-17) to Hope in the final over. Jamaica fell 15 runs short of the target.
Brief scores: Barbados Royals 161/5 in 20 overs (Phillips 56*; Permaul 2-15) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 146/9 in 20 overs (Brooks 47; Reifer 3-31) by 15 runs. Player of the Match: Raymon Reifer.