Ramdin sends Windies into final

DHAKA: Paced by a classy half-century from captain and “Man-of-the-Match” Denesh Ramdin, West Indies Under-19 cricketers whipped England by 94 runs in their ICC Youth World Cup (YWC) semi-final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Electing to bat in the day/night fixture, West Indies Under-19s posted 249 for six and restricted England Under-19s to 155 all out in 39.1 overs to storm into Friday’s final against Pakistan. Half centuries by Ramdin (72), Zamal Khan (60 not out), and Assad Fudadin (51) powered the West Indies’ innings, while pacer Ravi Rampaul and medium pacer Lendl Simmons shared five wickets to help stifle England’s run chase. “The key to the success today was the team spirit, we played some really good cricket, everybody was really focused,” winning coach Clyde Butts told CMC Sports. Ramdin’s perfectly crafted innings steered his side towards the challenging total but it was Khan’s fiery unbeaten knock that really tormented the English side.

The pair added a vital 87 for the sixth wicket that impressively lifted the Caribbean side from 146 for five in the 36th over. Ramdin’s 72 came off only 85 balls with seven boundaries, while Khan’s 49-ball 60 not out contained seven fours and one six. Fudadin also stroked seven boundaries in his half century and Xavier Marshall had posted a useful 45, also with seven boundaries, at the top of the order. At the end, Khan brought up his half-century with an edged boundary off pacer David Stiff, then cut another boundary square and with increasing daring he slashed four more over the cover fielders. Pacer Adam Harrison (3-28) led the England bowling. Rampaul, who made the recent tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa with the West Indies senior team, struck the first blow when England started their reply.

Ravi Bopara (10) mistimed a pull to mid-on, and it became 45 for two in the 15th over when Simmons had Simon Davies (4) smartly stumped by Ramdin.  Luke Wright (3) departed 12 runs later, brilliantly caught by Marshall in the gully off Simmons at 57 for three, as England fell out of contention and lost their last eight wickets for 98 runs. Rampaul bowled Alistair Cook (33) at 86 for four and although Tim Bresnan tried with a run-a-ball 41, the West Indies were dominant, effecting four run-outs, including wonderfully athletic tumbling pick-up-and-throw by Simmons that sent back Mark Lawson to finish the match. “We went out there with positive vibes,” Ramdin told CMC Sport. “The guys played well, we stuck to our plan, Marshall gave us a good start, the middle order batting did well and coming on to the end, the bowlers did their job,” Ramdin added. Friday’s final offers the West Indies a chance to avenge their huge 163-run defeat in the first round when they were without an ill Rampaul, and Ramdin is anxious for a rematch with the Pakistanis, who had lost — by five runs — to England in the Super League. “After this match, the guys are confident and looking forward to it,” Ramdin said.