PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Barbados all-rounder Dwayne Smith says sustaining pressure on Trinidad and Tobago was key to Barbados' 17-run win in the NAGICO Super50 final on Saturday.

Smith earned the Man of the Match award in the final after scoring a brisk 83 to lead his team to 252 all out before taking two catches and a wicket to help dismiss T&T for 235.

"It feels very good to play a good innings and then to go on to win the match and the trophy," he told the media following the win.

Smith says he remained confident that Barbados will be victorious even when T&T managed to claw their way back to make the contest close.

From a position of 143 for seven, T&T recovered to reach 204 for eight before Smith removed top-scorer Denesh Ramdin (68) lbw to silence the capacity crowd.

"There was always going to be a partnership. We knew that," said Smith.

"All we needed to do was to keep the pressure on and keep fighting and I was sure that at some point in time we would come through and that's what happened and now we have the trophy."

Meanwhile, the Barbados skipper, Kevin Stoute, has praised the efforts of his players, particularly Sulieman Benn and Smith, for playing big roles in their unbeaten run in the tournament.

Smith was the leading run scorer in the tournament with 252 runs while Benn was second on the bowling list with nine wickets, one less than top bowler Rayad Emrit from T&T who had 10.