Fast bowler Howard Johnson put on a superb bowling performance belying his age at the National Sports Centre yesterday to propel defending champions USA to a comfortable six-wicket win over Cayman Islands.

However, Johnson's astonishing figures of five wickets for 12 runs off nine overs - including five maidens tossed down consecutively - was overshadowed by the controversial batting strip at the NSC, which again came in for heavy criticism shortly after USA had achieved their winning objective with 108 balls to spare.

It was the 39-year-old Jamaican-born Florida resident's best performance at international level, surpassing his previous best of five for 30 against Canada at the last Americas Cup tournament in Argentina two years ago.

“The pitch we played on today wasn't suitable for this level of competition. Earlier on balls were popping up from a full length and batsmen were getting hit in the throat when coming forward in defence. It was pretty dangerous out there in the beginning,” commented Cayman Islands skipper Ryan Bovell after the defeat.

“We arrived here in good form and looking forward to a good wicket so that we could exhibit our skills. But unfortunately we weren't provided with such a track.”

Though the batting strip proved to be his chief ally, even Johnson admitted after the match the conditions were poor out in the middle.

“The pitch was playing a little bit surprising. When I first looked at the wicket I thought the ball was going to come on but it didn't come off as it was supposed to . . . it just kept holding back,” he said.

USA skipper Richard Staple, meanwhile, said winning the toss was always going to be crucial on yesterday's pitch.

The defending champions seized the upper hand early, claiming three quick wickets to have their opponents reeling at 21 for three after eight overs. Another wicket fell on 46 and from there it was always going to be an uphill climb for the Cayman batsmen - one from which they would never recover.

“The wicket was very supportive to our bowling earlier on,” said Staple. “We managed to put Cayman Islands on the back foot from the get go and I always knew it was going to be difficult for them. Winning the toss was important but our bowlers also had to bowl well.”

Supporting Johnson in the bowling was left-arm spinner Zamin Amin, who took two for 15 from ten overs.

Saheed Mohamed top scored for the Cayman Islands with a dogged 41 off 69 balls while Pearson Best stroked 30 off 75 balls, an innings containing four fours.

In reply to the opposition's modest total, USA also encountered stubborn resistance from a determined Cayman Island attack, losing three early wickets before former West Indies Test player Clayton Lambert and right-handed middle-order batsman Charles Reid picked the right moment to shine.

The pair shared in an unbroken 68 run fifth-wicket partnership to steer their team to victory in 31.4 overs with Lambert, who batted aided by a runner after sustaining a slight muscle pull early in his innings, stroking 30 off 43 balls while Reid smashed a match-high 42 off 52 balls.

Lambert had two fours while Reid managed four fours and hit the only six of the match with a mighty pull over the square leg boundary.

Right-arm fast bowler Franklyn Hinds led the Cayman Islands attack, claiming two wickets for 15 runs off six overs while David Wight and Kenute Tulloch took one apiece.

USA take on Bahamas today at Somerset Cricket Club at 11 a.m.