KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Leeward Islands disposed of Windward Islands inside two days while Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago were in sight of victory, on the penultimate day of the third round of matches in the Regional Under-19 Championship here yesterday.
Playing at Sion Hill, the Leewards pulled off a six-wicket victory to mark their first win of the tournament following two straight defeats.
Resuming from their overnight 119 for seven with a lead of already four runs, Leewards racked up 156 in their first innings, with Demari Benta converting his overnight 38 into a top score of 54.
With a lead of 41, Elroy Francis then put the Leewards further in command when he grabbed five for 23 to send the Windwards tumbling for 98.
Opener Kimani Melius top-scored with 30 but the Windwards collapsed from 49 for two to 98 all out, losing their last eight wickets for 49 runs.
Set 58 for victory, Leewards got home easily with Mikyle Louis belting 31 from 26 balls with a four and four sixes.
At Park Hill, opener Cephas Cooper lashed a superb unbeaten 173 as leaders Trinidad and Tobago put their powerful batting on show against Jamaica.
Resuming from their overnight 129 without loss, T&T piled up 400 for two declared with Cooper’s opening partner Navin Bidaisee falling short of three figures with 93, Leonardo Julien getting 56 and Christian Thurton, 36 not out.
Starting the day on 49, Cooper faced 319 deliveries and counted 19 fours while Bidaisee, on 63 at the start, struck 12 fours and a pair of sixes in a 142-ball knock.
Significantly, they extended their opening stand to 192 before Cooper paired with Julien to add 135 for the second wicket. Cooper and Thurton rammed home T&T’s advantage with an unbroken 73-run stand for the third wicket.
Trailing by 210 runs, Jamaica ended on 95 for three in their second turn at the crease, still requiring a further 115 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Kirk McKenzie was unbeaten on a breezy 54 off 67 balls with 10 fours, reviving the innings after he lost opening partner Ricardo McIntosh for a one-ball ‘duck’ with a single run on the board in the opening over.
