By Delvon Mc Ewan
Sixteen-year-old Nevisian Ross Powell registered the first century of the 2014 West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Under-19 Tournament for the Leeward Islands yesterday in its match against Guyana as the visitors’ ended day two with first innings advantage at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
Replying to Guyana’s first innings total of 270 all out, Leewards reached 300-8 off 113 overs in its first innings as Powell, who resumed the day on an overnight score of 14 batted most of the day to register his first century at this level. His determined innings of 130 from 293 deliveries lasted 346 minutes and was enough to give the Leewards the lead.
Powell, the son of former Leewards first class player Ronald Powell, shared in three valuable partnership. He first added 97 runs for the third wicket with Kacey Carthy who made an accomplished 65 followed by 37 for the fourth wicket with Asharn Hodge (13) and finally a decisive sixth wicket partnership of 53 with skipper Jeremiah Louis that took Leewards within 17 runs of first innings.
Powell, who was fortunate to survive three chances (on 42 and twice on 52) was the main batsman in the Leewards dominance throughout the day. In the first session, the visitors scored 83 runs from 38 overs while losing one wicket. Powell and Carthy batted solidly during that period putting together 55 runs before the lunch interval while Steven Sankar who picked up the wicket of Shaquille Martina, leg before wicket, was the only successful bowler for the locals in the morning session. Powell reached his half century during that same first session where the host made several bowling changes (including Tagenarine Chanderpaul) but was unsuccessful as the Leewards went to the break at 104-2 with Carthy on 35 and Powell on 55.
On resumption, Carthy rushed to his half century by scoring fluently. It took the right handed batsman Carthy, who hails from St. Maarten but plays for Anguilla 115 balls, eight fours and 102 minutes at the crease to reach his milestone. However, Carthy’s wonderful innings of 64 came to an end when his stumps were uprooted by Kemo Paul after he essayed a wild swing.
After his dismissal, Leewards lost only one more wicket during the second session, that of Hodge via the run out route. Powell entered tea 10 runs short of his century and his team at 190-4.
Shortly into the final session Powell reached his maiden regional u-19 century with his 13th four through mid-wicket. It was also his second century at regional youth cricket after he scored a century at the under-17 level against Barbados in Tobago last year.
Immediately after Powell reached three figures, the second new ball was taken in the 93rd over and was dispatched to the boundary on three consecutive occasions as Powell upped the tempo against Morris who struggled to find his line and length.
Guyana finally got rid of Powell when he attempted to find the gap through cover and was caught by Morris off Ramcharan.
Any hope by the Guyanese to bowl Leewards out under 270 was squashed as the visitor’s skipper Louis got his team to the close with a productive unbeaten innings of 49. However, it was Alzarri Joseph that hit the huge six off Ramcharran that took Leewards to first innings.
Guyana’s sloppy day in the field where the players dropped four catches finally ended when the umpires closed the day at the scheduled time. Sankar (2-72) and Ramcharan (2-45) were the chief bowlers for the host who fielded the entire day.
The Leewards will resumed the final day on 300-8, 30 runs ahead on first innings, with Louis on 49 and Colin Archilbald on one.
Scoreboard
GUYANA UNDER-19s 1st Innings 270
LEEWARDS UNDER-19s 1st Innings
(overnight 21 for one)
D. Weste c Morris b Baldeo 1
R. Powell c Morris b Ramcharran 130
S. Martina lbw b Sankar 6
K. Carty b Paul 64
A. Hodge run out 13
+M. Hingorani c Ramcharran b Sankar 1
*J. Louis not out 49
A. Joseph c Hetmyer b Ramcharran 11
K. Scott run out 1
C. Archibald not out 1
Extras (b10, lb7, nb6) 23
TOTAL (8 wkts, 113 overs) 300
T. Bussue to bat
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-49, 3-146, 4-187, 5-201, 6-254, 7-274, 8-290
Bowling: Paul 17-2-65-1, Baldeo 26-12-43-1, Waldron 10-3-19-0, Morris 6-2-32-0, Ramcharran 22-6-45-2, Sankar 28-8-71-2, Chanderpaul 4-1-8-0
Position: Leewards Under-19s lead by 30 runs with two first innings wickets standing
Points-to-date: Guyana 5.1, Leewards 5.3
Umpires: C. Alfred, D. Butler
