CRICKET-U19-Jamaica whip Barbados

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent,  CMC – Clinical Jamaica defeated Barbados by 56 runs to complete the double in the Rising Stars Under-19 Championship.

On a tense final day of the three-day final here Tuesday, Jamaica recovered after being bundled out for 87 in their second innings to send Barbados tumbling for 142 all out, with ten balls remaining at Arnos Vale Stadium.

Leg-spinner Tamarie Redwood led the champions with four for 47 to end with a seven-wicket match haul, while seamer Raneico Edwards supported well with three for 31.

Joshua Dorne top-scored with 34, opener Zion Brathwaite got 28 while Nimar Bolden and Nathan Sealy both struck 23, but Barbados never seriously challenged their victory target of 199 after losing their key top-order batsmen.

“It’s a feeling I can’t describe. I’m totally elated,” said Jamaica head coach Terrence Corke.

“We have not won this in ten years, so it’s good to get the double now. The last time we won the double was [in 2009], and now we’re winning it away from home. That’s a plus for us.”

Resuming the morning on four without loss and an overall lead of 115, Jamaica folded quickly courtesy of incisive spells from off-spinner Saurav Worrell (4-14) and fast bowler Raneico Smith (3-11).

Steven Wedderburn top-scored with 39 at number four while number eight Reon Edwards chipped in with 20, but the one-day champions found themselves unable to string partnerships together.

In fact, they plunged to 15 for five inside the first hour at Arnos Vale Stadium and needed Wedderburn, who struck two fours and two sixes in a 75-ball knock, to rescue the innings.

On one without loss at lunch from the single over possible before the break, Barbados lost Achilles Browne for one in the second over following the resumption, caught and bowled by first innings hero Deshawn James top-edging a pull at three for one.

Dorne, who faced 69 balls and counted two fours and a six, put on an invaluable 56 for the second wicket with Brathwaite but fell in controversial circumstances, adjudged caught at slip prodding at a Redwood leg-break which spun sharply.

The game was still open at tea with Barbados on 67 for two but Brathwaite, unbeaten on 25 at the interval, added only three more runs before falling in the fourth over following the resumption, playing on to seamer Nashane Meade.

Redwood then struck a crucial blow when he bowled Joshua Morris without scoring, the right-hander missing a cross-batted stroke and having his stumps rattled at 84 for four.

Barbados never recovered thereafter, Redwood and Edwards combining to wreck the lower order.

At Park Hill, the third-placed playoff between Guyana and Windward Islands finished in a draw while Trinidad and Tobago defeated Leeward Islands by nine wickets after chasing down 118 at Cumberland, opener Justin Jagessar stroking an unbeaten 64.

Photo credit: CWI Media