Under-19s win regional cricket opener

KINGSTON: Champions Trinidad and Tobago scored a thrilling three-wicket victory over Windward Islands to start defence of their TCL Group-sponsored West Indies Under-19 Championship at the Goodyear Oval here yesterday. The Trinidadians playing in Zone “B,” restricted the Windwards to 127 runs off 38.1 overs with Magnum Nanan claiming five wickets for 23 runs and Aaron Ragoonath two for 16.

But getting the required victory target was not easy, as Trinidad and Tobago were made to struggle by Jevon Samuel who took two wickets for 20 runs and Nelon Pascale two for 22, before reaching 128 for seven wickets. William Perkins struck a brilliant 42 and Ragoonath chipped in with 16 to get the victory. Also in Zone “B,” last year’s runners-up Guyana beat the Americas by 42 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis system at Port Esquivel. The Guyanese totalled 215 for seven wickets in their 50 overs, with Zaheer Mohammed scoring an unbeaten 71. They then restricted Americas to 114 for six wickets off 37.2 overs.

Barbados won their Zone “A” game over Bermuda by 30 runs at Up Park Camp. After scoring 218 off 42.3 overs with Orman Kellman hitting a topscore 50, the young Bajans routed the Bermudians for 120, Barrington Yearwood taking three wickets for 15 runs and Javon Searles three for 18. Hosts Jamaica won a rain-affected game against Leeward Islands at UWI ground, Mona. After scoring 287 for eight, with Xavier Marshall getting the first century of the series, 101, the target was reduced to 230 from 27 overs, but the Islanders could only manage 80 for seven wickets.

Summarised scores: WINDWARDS 127 (38.1 overs) —  Andre Fletcher 34, Craig Emanuel 21, M Nanan 3/23, A Ragoonath 2/16 vs TRINIDAD & TOBAGO128/7 — W Perkins 42, A Ragoonath 16, J Samuel 2/20, N Pascale 2/22.
GUYANA 215/7 (50 overs) —  Z Mohammed 71 not out, Zaheer Saffie 33, Zamal Khan 24, Shaheed Kishwani 2/21, Ronald Ebanks 2/35 vs AMERICAS 114/6 (37.2 overs)  —  Gibran Rahaman 36, Devendra Bishoo 4/16.
Barbados 218 (42.3 OVERS) —  O Kellman 50, Nicholas Squires 33, Neval Grazette 30, Renaldo Parris 26, Javon Searles 25, George O’Brien 3/26, Stephen Kelly 2/33, Allan Douglas 2/39 vs BERMUDA 120 (24 overs) - Derek Brangman 36 not out, Shannon Rayner 23, A Douglas 22, B Yearwood 3/15, J Searles 3/18, Tariq Hoyte 2/35.
JAMAICA 287/8 (50 overs) —  X Marshall 101, Wayne Morgan 44, D Ebanks 37, Ziggy Levy 28, Jamie Trenchfield 20, Jacques Taylor 2/63 vs LEEWARDS 80/7 (27 overs) —  Justin Athanaze 22, Alton Beckford 2/15, Craigin Malcom 2/21.