Jamaica Kingsmen chased down 202 in front of their home crowd on Tuesday night, but Barbados Tridents held firm to win by five runs. The Caribbean Premier League fixture at the Sabina Park venue finished 201 to 206 after a competitive chase that kept spectators on edge until the final over.
Jamaica dropped to three points behind their nearest challengers in the table, while the visitors moved closer to the top four. The result means the hosts now sit third on eight points from nine games, with five losses already weighing on their campaign.
Jamaica Kingsmen had looked promising in their previous outing, losing narrowly 167 to 168 to Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. They came out here with intent, but the target of 202 proved too steep when the middle order stalled under pressure.
Barbados Tridents turn up on the back of mixed recent results. They beat Trinidad and Tobago 172 to 166 on September 12th, but lost to Guyana and Saint Kitts and Nevis in the days around it. They ended that sequence with a 191 to 164 victory over Saint Lucia, showing they can raise the tempo when they need to.
The win keeps Barbados in seventh place on six points from seven matches. They need two more victories to level with Jamaica's tally and could move into the top four if the teams around them slip up. The hosts, meanwhile, face a tough run if they cannot string wins together.