Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

Danza Hyatt ... top-scored with 71 off 45 balls. - File

COOLIDGE, Antigua:

UNLIKE THE Reggae Boyz, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Costa Rica, Jamaica's cricketers celebrated the legendary Bob Marley's birthday with a crushing 118-run win over minnows, The Bahamas, at the Stanford Twenty/20 tournament on Wednesday night.

In the match played at Stanford Cricket Ground, The Bahamas were never in contention as they were outplayed by the Tamar Lambert-led team from the time former West Indies legend Lance Gibbs shouted "Jamaica, Bahamas, lets get it on!" in his customary style of signalling for play to start. Bahamas' captain Narendra Ekanayake admitted his team, with an average age of 31, was never in the game.

"It really was out of our (reach)," he said of Jamaica's total of 191 for four of 20 overs. "We just told the guys to go out there and enjoy themselves and bat out the overs." That they did by scoring 77 for seven.

Outplayed

"They (Jamaica) were on top of the game from ball one. We never had a chance. We were outplayed in three departments, bowling, batting and fielding, so they deserved the win," Ekanayake said.

Jamaica now await the winner of tomorrow's sixth round of 16 match-up between Nevis and Montserrat.

Electing to bat, Jamaica got good performances from their top order.

Shawn Findlay (20) and Xavier Marshall (43) put on 33 for the first wicket and then Marshall and top scorer Danza Hyatt (71) put on 67 for the second.

Hyatt, who collected the US$25,000 as Man of the Match and Wavell Hinds (23) added a further 57 runs for the third wicket. Hyatt, who in the latter stage of his innings had to use a runner, hit six fours and two sixes.

Towards the end, wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jr hit two huge sixes and a four off 10 deliveries. After Jamaican dancehall legend Beenie Man and Antiguan soca diva Claudette Peters entertained the crowd of about 7,000 during the break, the Bahamas were never in contention for the runs.

Struggled

Backed up by four run outs, they struggled to 41 for six. Gregory Taylor (10) and Ryan Tappin, who stood firm on 25, were the only batsmen to reach double figures.

Dave Bernard was the pick of the bowlers with 2-15. Jermaine Lawson, who picked up the Play of the Day for running out Ekanayake with a direct hit coming off the long-on boundary, ended with 1-16.

Lambert said he was pleased with his team's performance.

"I think it was a very good performance from the guys," he said while adding that Marshall, Findlay, Hyatt and Hinds set the platform. "It was a good feeling to get the first one out of the way and now we are really looking forward to the second game," he said.

Jamaica innings

S. Findlay c A. Ford b Melville	20
X. Marshall st G. Taylor b Ekanayake	42
D. Hyatt c Wheatley b Blair	71
W. Hinds c Blair b Tappin	23
C. Baugh not out	22
D. Bernard not out	2
Extras (b1, lb4, w4, nb2)	11
TOTAL (for four wkts - 20 overs)	191

Fall: 1-33 (Findlay, 3.4 overs); 2-100 (Marshall, 11.2); 3-157 (Hinds. 16.5); 4-188 (Hyatt, 19.3).

Bowling: Blair 4-0-35-1, Melville 4-0-33-1, Wheatley 4-0-38-0, Ekanayake 4-0-36-1, Taylor 2-0-22-0, Tappin 2-0-22-1.

Bahamas innings

D. Weakley lbw Bernard	8
M. Taylor run out (Lawson-Baugh)	4
R. Tappin not out	25
M. Ford c Findlay b Bernard	8
N. Ekanayake run out (Lawson)	2
W. Atkinson run out (Bernard)	0
J. Barry run out (Nash)	0
G. Taylor b Lawson	10
G. Blair not out	5
Extras (lb3, w7, nb1)	11
TOTAL (for seven wkts - 20 overs)	73

Fall: 1-13 (Weakley, 3.1 overs); 2-15 (+M. Taylor, 3.4); 3-25 (Ford, 5.3); 4-38 (Ekanayake, 9.6); 5-35 (Atkinson, 10.4);6-41 (Barry, 11.5); 7-60 (G. Taylor, 17.6).

Bowling: Lawson 4-0-16-1, Bernard 4-0-15-2, Nash 1-0-8-0, Miller 4-0-12-0, Brown 4-1-8-0, Lambert 3-0-11-0.

Result: Jamaica won by 118 runs.

Series: Jamaica advance to quarter-finals.