U19 double still alive

arbados snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, as they overcame defending champions Jamaica by nine runs in a thrilling encounter at Park Hill Playing Field, St Vincent & the Grenadines.

Needing a win to maintain their chances of adding the West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 50-Overs Championship to their 2-Day title, Zishan Motara and captain Nathan Sealy took the last three Jamaican wickets for three runs.

Winning the toss and electing to bat on a pitch that was keeping low and not ideal for stroke play, Barbados managed to scrape a total of 126 before being bowled out in 30 overs.

Openers Kyle Jordan and Zion Brathwaite contrived to get to double figures, putting on a stand of 40 before losing the first wicket, that of Brathwaite bowled for 16. Jordan followed shortly after, to make the score 42-2 as he made 19 before being out caught.

Wickets began to fall in clusters as wickets numbers three and four fell, Joshua Morris (3) and Joshua Dorne (2), with the score on 52.

Nathan Sealy and Micah Greenidge built a small partnership as they put on 31 together before Sealy was out caught at long-off for nine runs, score now 83-5.

Greenidge batted smartly before losing his wicket, bowled for 21 in 33 balls, he was the first of two wickets to fall with the score on 92, Jatario Prescod was out caught at mid-on. Shortly after Preston Clarke was LBW leaving the total now at 94-8 and Barbados eyeing their lowest total for the tour.

Motara and Raneico Smith were able to take the score to 118 before Smith was out LBW making 16 in 16 balls. The last wicket to fall was that of Saurav Worrell for four. Motara was not out on 13.

For Jamaica, leg spinner Tamarie Redwood took 5-34 in his 10 overs.

Barbados fast bowlers were off to a rapid start as Smith got a wicket with the very first ball of the innings, Adrian Weir LBW. In the second over Jatario Prescod had Kev’Aundre Virgo caught by keeper Morris for one, score 8-2.

In the sixth over Smith was on his second hat trick of the tour, as he got Jordan Johnson for 26 and Brian Barnes first ball, both caught identically at point by Prescod, 38-4.

Jamaica’s best batter of the day, Steve Wedderburn, played a flamboyant innings as he proved to be a thorn in the side of the Bajans. He built a 59-run partnership with Matthew Morgan as they took the score to 97. Wedderburn, who made 41 with five fours and a six, was then out caught by Micah Greenidge off the bowling of Worrell, which brought new hope to the boys in blue.

With 30 runs to win and five wickets in hand, Jamaica began to feel the pressure, Michael Clarke, who had just hit a huge six off Worrell, was out caught on the long-on boundary as he was trying to go for another in the same over. 103-6.

With the score at 110, Motara struck, claiming his first wicket and Jamaica’s seventh, Kyle Jordan caught Trevaun Williams for two.

As the rain began to loom in the distance, the groundsmen were getting the covers ready. Motara struck again, Odel Samuels caught at slip by Joshua Dorne. Players were celebrating, the rains came, and with the calculations of DLS method Barbados were now one run behind, as they needed the score to be 113 or below for a win in case of a rain affected game. Jamaica were 114-8.

Bajan players and spectators waited eagerly for a possible return to play. When play did resume an hour later, Motara and Sealy snaffled up the final two wickets for a further three runs. Sealy got Morgan caught behind by Morris, and Motara removed Redwood, caught and bowled to end the Jamaica innings at 117.

Motara took 3-17, Smith 3-32, and Worrell 2-22.

Barbados and Guyana will showdown at Arnos Vale on Sunday in what may very well be a winner-take-all game.

In other scores-

Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands

LEE 120

WWI 121-5

WWI win by 5 wickets

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Guyana vs Trinidad & Tobago

GUY 223-8

TTO 134

GUY win by 89 runs

 

(ZM)