Windies go out Youth World Cup

COLOMBO: Let down by uncharacteristically sub-standard batting, the West Indies crashed out of title contention at the ICC Under-19 World Cup yesterday after suffering a huge 129-run loss to India in their quarter-final match at the R Premadasa Stadium. Chasing India’s 284 for eight off 50 overs, the West Indies’ usually strong batting never clicked and the regional side where routed for 158 off 38.5 overs. They never came to terms with the new ball pair of Vijaykumar Yomahesh (four for 25) and Gourav Dhiman (three for 27) and capitulated to 68 for seven in the 18th over, and despite a brave effort from the lower order, eventually folded well short of their target.

Only Andre Fletcher, who hit 44 from 85 balls with seven fours, showed any resistance as the Indian bowlers dominated. Sunil Narine hit a cameo 29 from 23 balls with five fours while Javon Searles, who had earlier snatched a six-wicket haul in the Indian innings, struck a defiant 22. “Obviously we are very, very disappointed. They (India) played well, got off to a flyer in the first 15 overs and that took the game away from us,” coach Roddy Estwick, told CMC Sports in an interview. “We fought back and thought we did well to restrict them to 284 but we never got going in the second innings and we fell short.” West Indies started their run chase disastrously when they lost prolific opener William Perkins without scoring, to the second ball of the innings, leg before wicket to Yomahesh with the score on one.

Things grew worse for the Windies when captain Leon Johnson, whose half century against South Africa guided the regional side to the quarter-finals, fell for one, with the first ball of the innings’ second over to leave the side tottering at two for two. Vice-captain Jason Mohammed followed soon afterward for eight and when Gajanand Singh was removed in the eighth over for seven with the score on 32, the heart of the West Indies batting had been ripped out. All-rounders Kieron Pollard (1) and Shamar Brooks (0) were dismissed in the space of four balls in the 11th over bowled by Yomahesh as the West Indies slipped to 41 for six and only a 27-run, seventh wicket stand between Fletcher and Andre McCarthy (13) halted the slide. Fletcher then shared a 41-run, eighth wicket stand with Narine that saw the regional side to 109 for eight in the 31st over.

When Fletcher finally departed after more than two hours at the crease, Narine and Rishi Bachan (16) posted the highest partnership of the innings —  49 for the last wicket. Off spinner Parmar Bipinbhai took two wickets at the end to finish with two for 21. Earlier, India were given a rousing start by Cheteshwar Pujara who slammed 94 from 134 balls and Dhiman, whose 77 required a mere 56 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes. The pair added 110 in just 83 balls, and when Man-of-the-Match Dhiman departed, Rohit Sharma kept up the tempo with 50 from 57 balls, in a stand of 99 for the second wicket. After Sharma’s departure, wickets fell steadily however as Searles wrecked the middle order to finish with six for 68, though conceding 15 wides. Though the highest score thereafter was 10, Pujara ensured India reached their eventual score by staying until the 48th over. (CMC)