PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Jamaica successfully defended their CLICO West Indies Under-15 championship crown yesterday, when they defeated the Windward Islands by seven wickets in their final round game.
West Indies Under-15 players John Campbell and Oshane Walters combined to steer the Jamaicans to an emphatic victory and a fifth hold on the regional junior title.
Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana also recorded wins on the final day and although T&T finished joint top of the table – on eight points – with Jamaica, the defending champions celebrated title success on the tie-breaker that they had beaten T&T in their head-to-head meeting.
Guyana finished third on six points, followed by Barbados (5).
Led by solid bowling — at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground at UWI — from Campbell (4-17) and Brian Gayle (2-9), Jamaica dismissed the Windwards for a paltry 94 off 47 overs.
In response, the impressive Walters stroked a blistering unbeaten 55 off 46 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes to lead the champions to victory at 95 for three in just 12.3 overs.
The Jamaicans, who had beaten T&T by five wickets in the first round, added to previous title wins they had in the inaugural year 1996, 2003, 2006 and 2008.
At the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, T&T defeated Barbados by five wickets to record their fourth consecutive victory.
Taking first strike, the young Barbadians were bowled out for 138 in 42.4 overs.
Justin Greaves top-scored with 34 and Jameel Stewart contributed 27 for Barbados, who had beaten Jamaica by 55 runs on Saturday and had an outside chance at the title entering the match.
Left-arm spinner Nairon Motilal was the pick of the local team bowlers with the decent figures of four for 16, while there were two wickets apiece for Anthony Simmons (2-29) and Adrian Cooper (2-41).
T&T in reply, romped home to victory in 33 overs, with Stefan Wharwood hitting a patient 63 off 88 balls with two fours and a five as T&T finished on 139 for five.
At the St Mary’s College grounds in St Clair, Guyana crushed the Leeward Islands by eight wickets.
Led by Mark Tyrell with three for 17, the Leewards were reduced to 84 all out in 25.5 overs.
Guyana, propelled by a brisk 27 from Brian Sattaur, rushed to victory at 85 for two in 19.5 overs and left the Leewards winless from their five games.