KINGSTON, Jamaica--The Leeward Islands U19 cricketers narrowly defeated their Windward Islands counterparts by a tense one wicket win yesterday.
St. Maarten players Mrinal Wadhwa and Troy Toney with 11 and three respectively performed the final rites for the win.
When Toney joined Wadhwa, the Leewards needed three more runs to win and he duly hit the three runs to complete the second win in three matches.
Windward Islands scored 141 all out off 39.3 of the 50 overs allotted per side. Leeward Islands responded with 142 for nine with just three balls to spare.
The main architects of the win were opening batsman Tyrone Williams with 43, Seead Williams with 30, Vice-Captain Jaeel Clarke with 16 and Captain Keacy Carty with 10. Although, the Leeward Islands team won this match, the batsmen in the team continue to falter as three batsmen made naughty and only three crossed into double figures.
For the Windward Islands, Josiah Hilton top scored with 47. The other batsmen to score more than 10 were Ryan John with 36 not out and Captain Kershake Jno Lewis with 11.
Leeward Islands ace pace bowler Alzarri Joseph rocked to the top order of the opposition with three wickets in his first three overs to reduce the losers to 14 for three in 4.5 overs.
The Leewards then under the leadership of Carty exerted enough pressure on the opposition to take wickets regularly which resulted in the win.
Joseph finished with three for 11 in seven overs while the figures of the other bowlers were Colin Archibald three for 27 in six overs Kenneth Pennyfeather with one for 16 in six overs, Kofi James one for 23 in 10 overs, Wadhwa one for 32 in six overs and Toney went wicket-less in his four overs which cost 17 runs.
In other matches, Guyana beat Barbados by seven wickets. Scores in that match were Barbados scored 216 for eight in 50 overs. Guyana replied with 213 for three in 33.2 overs.
Trinidad and Tobago’s total was adjusted to 283-9 after they were awarded 12 penalty runs against Canada which failed to bowl out the overs on-time.
The Canadians who are the ICC Americans U19 champions and will play in the ICC Youth World Cup in Bangladesh next year were routed for under 100 runs.
The fourth round of the tournament brings together Trinidad and Tobago against Jamaica at Manchester High School Ground, Barbados versus Windward Islands at STETHS Ground and Leeward Islands take on Canada at Jamalco Ground.