Three half-centuries reinforced by Alzarri Joseph’s five-wicket haul helped break the back of the woeful ICC Americas team who were humbled by 150-runs in the sixth round of West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional U19 50-over match against the Leeward Islands at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
The sterling batting performance was led by opener Shaquille Martina who cracked six fours and one six in his fluent knock of 60. He shared an opening stand of 123 runs with fellow opener Ross Powell who scored 34.
A middle-order surge from Dion Weste who scored a brisk 35-ball 51 featuring five fours and two maximums and an
unbeaten 59 from Kacy Carty highlighted a solid batting performance which propelled the Leewards to 259 for 4 in their 50 overs. Spinner Delray Rollins grabbed 3-38 from his 10 overs for the Americas who, in reply, were ripped apart for a mere 109 in 25.4 overs with Trevis Ross (21), being the top scorer.
Joseph, the West Indies U19 pacer was venomous during his spell, capturing 5 for 47 from 7.4 overs. Skipper Jeremiah Louis picked up 2-19 while a wicket each from Kenrick Scott and Asharn Scott capped off a good bowling performance.
During the chase, ICC Americas continued their knack of losing wickets in clusters when openers Nikhil Dutta (0) and Arch Buch fell in the first two overs. Ross looked set for a good score before he edged Joseph to second slip while Vabhav Altekar (14) was also out caught off the bowling of Joseph as the Americas slipped to 59 for 4 inside 10 overs. The early collapse caused a ripple effect which accounted for the dismissals of the big-hitting Onias Bascome (13) Abrass Khan (4), Armaan Kapoor (2) and Rawlins (8). At 87-8 the wheels began to completely fall off for the Americas who lost Farhan Malik for a battling 18 before he was caught down the leg-side by the wicket-keeper, while Michael Simmons (5) became Joseph’s fifth wicket and the last to fall for the Americas when he was bowled.
Earlier, Martina and Powell collared the ICC Americas’ bowlers who seemed to have been a bit wayward in their approach as they raced to a century partnership in 22 overs. Both players oozed confidence and sought to seize the upper hand against the opposition who lacked penetration, as they picked up effortless boundaries and easy singles at will.
Luck came for the Americas who dealt their opponents a triple blow in the 29th over when Rawlins removed Powell, Martina and Jaeel Clarke (0), flinging the Leewards into dismay at 123 for 3. However a late assault from Carty and Weste saw the Leewards upping the tempo at the back end of the innings as they completed their overs with wicket and a defendable target on the board.
Meanwhile at Everest Trinidad and Tobago defeated Barbados U19 by 58 runs. Batting first Trinidad u19s made 204-7 off their allotted overs and then dismissed Barbados U19s for 146 in 43.4 overs.
