Defending WICB Regional Under-15 champs Guyana, yesterday romped to a commanding 98-run win over the Windwards, compliments of MVP Kelvin Umrao’s five-wicket haul in the final round of the tournament which concluded at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Set 200 to win from their 50 overs, Windwards were restricted to 101 in 38.1 overs after player of the match Umrao’s 5-32 and fast-bowler Haifa Walters (2-5) from six overs helped set up a brilliant win for Guyana. In attempting the run-chase, Windwards opener Dhan-Raj Cepal top-scored with 35 from 101 balls with one four.
Guyana during their batting innings were led by Sachin Singh who continued his good form, this time narrowly missing his fifty as he struck three fours in his top-score of 45, sharing a fourth wicket partnership of 77 with Kevlon Anderson who scored a boundary-less 37.
After winning the toss and batting first, Guyana’s openers Williams and Sinclair were aggressive during their half-century partnership, hitting some eight fours during their stay at the crease. Sinclair was the first to go, caught by the wicket-keeper off Joseph (1-21). The two added 73 for the first wicket to help propel Guyana to its final score of 199-9 in 50 overs.
Windwards’ off-spinner Jahseon Alexander was a handful bowling from the Media Centre End, bagging 4-41 from nine overs while the tiny St Lucian left-arm orthodox spinner Simeon Gerson utilised the spin-friendly conditions to pick up 3-54.
Guyana had two wickets falling for 86 runs when Alphius Bookie (00) misjudged a delivery from the miniature left-arm spinner and was trapped LBW, a fate which befell Williams who was also bamboozled by little spinner.
However, the batting pair of Anderson and Singh halted the Windwards march by exploiting the ordinary bowling, raising the team’s 100 and 150 inside 43 overs. The Windwards pulled things back tremendously when Gerson bowled Singh five runs short of his fifty.
Alexander continued the Windwards fight back, picking up two scalps in one over, that of Anderson who was stumped and that of Jailall was bowled without scoring. In Anderson’s following over, Walters was stumped for duck.
Montoute (1-32), removed the skipper Nedd for 14. The tail was quickly demolished by Alexander knocked-over Balkissoon (12) as the innings came to an end with Torrington and Umrao unbeaten on 1 and 2 respectively.
As the Windwards took to the field to bat, Torrington got the early breakthrough for Guyana when the Windwards skipper Kimani Melius (06) was caught on the 30 yard ring by Pradesh Balkissoon.
Walters struck in the eight over, with a lively delivery which knocked over the middle-stump of Tahj Tavernier (09) followed by another fiery length ball which had Mika Joseph beaten for pace, disturbing the batsman stumps for only 4 runs.
Finishing his first spell of six overs 2-5, pace bowler Walters used his accuracy and swing to leave the visitors reeling at 24-3 after 12 overs. Tijourn Pope (09) fell in the 22nd over while Cepal continued to soak up a huge amount of deliveries with limited scoring.
Two quick wickets from Umrao came when Rene Montoute (12) attempted a booming shot down the ground but instead, picked out by Singh at long-on and Lee Solomon, who was caught and bowled for one. Another wicket came when Razim Elehie (11) was caught by the keeper Williams off Nedd.
Umrao grabbed his third wicket when Alexander was snatched up square of cover by Walters for one run, leaving Windwards dangling at 97-8. As the 100 came up for the Windwards, so too did their ninth wicket when Umrao finally served up the delivery which snuck through Cepal’s bat and pad. The final nail in the Windwards coffin came when Umrao bowled Cazari Charles without adding to the score; immediately after which, the Guyana team sprinted across the field in celebration of an unbeaten title defence.
