PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago edged the Windward Islands by two runs to jump to the top of the table in the CWI Under-17 50-over Championship when it got underway here Sunday.
On a day when the rain had the final say in the other two fixtures, T&T managed to get over the line in a thrilling finish at the National Cricket Centre in a contest that was reduced to 22 overs because of heavy showers.
T&T, led by Joseph Mendoza, who topscored with 33, finished on 128-9 in their 22 overs, with Darrius Batoosingh and Renaldo Fournillier both scoring 24.
Theo Edward (2-8), Cody Fontenelle (2-15) and Edmund Morancie (2-27), picked up two wickets apiece.
Despite an unbeaten 49 by Morancie of 31 balls, the Windward Islands fell short as they were restricted to 126-6 from their 22 overs.
The match seemed to be all but over after the Windwards Islands lost five wickets for just 33 runs to slip to 58 for six in the 11th over.
But Morancie, together with Jelani Joseph, who scored 22 not out, added an unbroken partnership of 68 for the seventh wicket to give their team hope of a miraculous comeback.
It was not to be though as tight bowling by T&T helped to restrict their opponents.
Jordan Mohammed and AS Basant both grabbed two wickets for T&T.
The match between Leeward Islands and Jamaica was abandoned without a ball being bowled at Inshan Ali Park, while the clash between Barbados and Guyana was ruled a no-contest.