BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Opener Kerry Holness stroked an attractive, unbeaten half-century as Jamaica crushed Leeward Islands by eight wickets in their second round match in the Regional Under-19 one-day Championship yesterday.
Chasing a paltry 126 in a game reduced to 38 overs per side at Queen’s Park, Jamaica eased to their target in 27.1 overs, to register their first win after an opening round loss to Guyana on Sunday.
Holness finished on 70 not out, facing 87 balls and striking eight fours.
It was his 85-run opening stand off 96 balls with captain Oshane Walters (30) which lay the foundation for the uncomplicated run chase.
Walters faced 43 balls and struck two fours before he was bowled by off-spinner Tristan Hanley with the last ball of the 16th over.
Earlier, Windwards started poorly after they were sent in and despite a small, recovery, never found their footing again.
Captain Akeem Saunders top-scored with 38 while opener Duan Webbe chipped in with 32, as the Jamaican attack shared around the wickets.
Shawn Tuitt was prised out with the third delivery of the game without scoring at one run for one wicket and Omari Matthew fell for seven at 13, both wickets falling to lanky pacer Chris Powell (2-11).
Saunders and Webbe then posted 66 for the third wicket and seemed to be batting the Leewards out of difficulty.
The right-handed Saunders hit a four and two sixes off 57 balls while Webbe’s innings lasted 74 balls and included a single boundary.
Once Saunders became the first of off-spinner Walters’s two wickets, however, the innings quickly folded with the last eight wickets crashing for 46
runs.
LEEWARDS
D Webbe run out 32
S Tuitt c Walters b Powell 0
O Matthew c Holness b Powell 7
*A Saunders c McCatty b Walters 38
D Hobson c McCatty b Walters 3
D Baker not out 19
Colin Archibald c wkp Thomas b B Gayle 19
+D Parris c wkp Thomas b B Gayle 0
T Hanley c Johnson b D Gayle 0
Chavil Archibald lbw b d Gayle 0
A Joseph run out 2
Extras (lb1, w4) 5
TOTAL (all out, 36.2 overs) 125
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-13, 3-74, 4-82, 5-85, 6-118, 7-118, 8-119, 9-124, 10-125
Bowling: Powell 5-1-11-2, Johnson 5-0-17-0, D Gayle 8-1-17-2, Walters 6.2-0-37-2, Francis 8-1-19-0, B Gayle 4-0-23-2.
JAMAICA
*O Walters b Hanley 30
K Holness not out 70
O McCatty run out 6
T Coleman not out 12
Extras (b2, lb1, w9) 12
TOTAL (2 wkts, 27.1 overs) 127
Did not bat: B Gayle, B King, D Gayle, R Francis, C Powell, K Johnson, +A Thomas.
Fall of wickets: 1-85, 2-107.
Bowling: Colin Archibald 4-0-26-0, Joseph 2-0-22-0, Chavil Archibald 1-0-9-0, Hanley 8-0-25-1, Baker 8-0-22-0, Tuitt 2-0-5-0, Hobson 2.1-0-15-0.
Result: Jamaica won by eight wickets.
Toss: Jamaica.
Umpires: J Blades, C Taylor.
