KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Windward Islands and Guyana confirmed their spots in today’s one-day final of the Regional Under-19 Championship, by scoring convincing victories in the last round of preliminary games here Friday.
Playing at Park Hill, Windward Islands produced a superb run chase to beat Trinidad and Tobago by three wickets while at Arnos Vale, Guyana defended a modest total to defeat Barbados by 85 runs.
The Windwards finished on top the standings with 22.6 points, just ahead of Guyana on 22.
Barbados were third on 17.2 points, Jamaica fourth with 13.3 points while Trinidad and Tobago were a disappointing fifth with 9.9.
Leeward Islands were one from bottom with 6.5 points, with ICC Americas last on 2.1, after failing to win a single game.
The Windwards sent a stern warning with their performance as they chased down a very competitive 259 to win with eight overs to spare.
Emmanuel Stewart, batting at number three, slammed 92 off 89 deliveries while opener Johann Jeremiah stroked 61 from 79 deliveries.
Following the early loss of Anil Matthew for 11 in the fourth over with the score on 18, Stewart and Jeremiah came together to add 150 for the second wicket.
Stewart, voted Man-of-the-Match, struck nine fours and two sixes while Jeremiah counted five fours and two sixes before perishing at the end of the 28th over.
However, Stewart added a further 44 for the third wicket with Alick Athanaze, who hit a cameo 45 from just 29 deliveries, including two fours and three sixes.
Stewart eventually fell short of a hundred when he was lbw to off-spinner Bryan Boodram (3-36) in the 33rd over and Windwards suffered a bit of a scare when they lost four wickets for five runs in the space of 12 deliveries, to slump to 236 for seven.
But West Indies Under-19 player, Ryan John, slammed a four and a six in scoring 15 not out to see his side home.
Earlier, T&T were dismissed for 258 off 48,3 overs, with opener Joshua da Silva top-scoring with 88, Kirstan Kallicharan getting 38 and Keagan Simmons, 32.
Da Silva struck nine fours and three sixes off 99 deliveries, putting on 91 for the first wicket with Simmons, 41 for the second with Dejourn Charles (15) and exactly 50 for the third with Kallicharan.
Athanaze claimed four for 43 with his off-spin to be the best bowler.
Guyana, meanwhile, needed Marlon Hubbard’s four-wicket haul as Barbados were bundled out for 98 off 37.5 overs, in pursuit of 184 for the win.
Only opener Shian Brathwaite, with 35 off 89 balls, showed any resistance and was one of just three players in double figures.
Guyana had earlier been dismissed for 183 with a single ball remaining in the innings with Raymond Perez scoring 37 and Keemo Paul getting 33.
Nicholas Kirton (3-15) and Tremaine Harris (3-34) were the main wicket takers.
In the other game played, Jamaica defended 168 to beat Leewards by 72 runs, with Brad Barnes (3-18) and Tyrone Daley (3-21) the principal wicket-takers.
