Windies bowlers set up opening win

A strong bowling performance followed by a half century from in form opener Tanez Francis proved to be the highlights as West Indies Under 19s defeated Tanzania Under-19s by five wickets in their opening game of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Windhoek, Namibia on Thursday.

After being sent into bat in the Group D encounter, Tanzania reached 53 without loss before losing their first wicket in the 14th over, when Jonathan van Lange accounted for the wicket of Darpan Jobanputra for 19.

When fellow opener Dylan Thakrar was dismissed four runs later for 26 by Player-of-the-Match Shaquan Belle, the flood gates effectively opened, with Tanzania’s next five batsmen failing to get into double figures.

Belle finished with figures of 2 for 23 from his seven overs, while Micah McKenzie took 2 for 15 and Vitel Lawes 3 for 23, as Tanzania were all out for 122 in 34 overs. That total was boosted by 27 extras, including 22 wides.

In West Indies’ turn at the wicket, Zachary Carter was bowled in the fourth over by Augustino Mwamele for eight with the score on 20, but Francis and Jewel Andew steadied the ship in an 80 run second wicket stand before Andrew was dismissed in the 17th over for a run-a-ball 44 with the score on 100. 

Francis followed nine runs later having made 52 from 55 balls. His innings featured five fours and one six

Captain Joshua Dorne was dismissed cheaply for five, while Jonathan van Lange failed to score, but West Indies clinched the win at 124 for 5 in the 21st over. At that point Shamar Apple was unbeaten on four and Belle on six.

For Tanzania, Augustino Mwamele took 2 for 17 and Raymond Francis 2 for 23.

West Indies will be back in action on Sunday when they take on Afghanistan.

In today’s other Under 19 encounters, the Group C game between New Zealand and Scotland was abandoned without a ball being bowled, while India defeated USA by six wickets in Group B.

Scores in the match: USA 107 all out in 35.2 overs, India 99 for 4, chasing a revised victory target of 96.