Marshall, Yearwood set up exciting Under-19 victory

COLOMBO: Young West Indies Under-19s, behind a superb half century by Xavier Marshall and pacer Barrington Yearwood’s four-wicket haul, scored an exciting five-wicket victory with one ball to spare over Sri Lanka in their Youth (Under-19) World Cup warm-up match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground yesterday. Responding to the home team’s 217 for eight off 50 overs, Young West Indies played steadily to achieve victory at 218 for five off 49.5 overs for a 2-1 lead in the four-match series. Marshall top scored for the West Indies Under-19s with 86 after Yearwood had ripped through the Sri Lankans’ top order to finish with four for 35 off six overs. “The fellows are enjoying themselves, and they played together. Today was a good day, we had a good game, and it was good victory,” West Indies coach Clyde Butts told CMC Sport after the match.

Yearwood transgressed with eight wides but sent back the first four batsmen to leave the Sri Lankans reeling at 43 for four in the 10th over. “He just bowled full and straight, and that was his route to success,” Butts said of Yearwood. Off-spinner Zamal Khan (2-51), pacer Mervyn Matthew (1-28) and left-arm spinner Rishi Bachan (1-28) shared the other wickets. Marshall and Tishan Maraj (13) posted 44 for the first wicket, and it was solid middle-order knocks from Assad Fudadin (44), captain Denesh Ramdin (30) and Lendl Simmons (27 not out) that steered the visitors to victory. “Marshall batted brilliantly, he really played some fine shots. He wasn’t afraid to hit the ball over the top and was well supported by Fudadin and the captain himself,” Butts said. The West Indies Under-19s play the last match in the series tomorrow and leave Sri Lanka on Sunday for Bangladesh where the ICC Youth World Cup starts on February 15. West Indies, semi-finalists at the last championship (New Zealand 2002), will play in Group “D” along with Pakistan, Ireland and Papua New Guinea.