FOURSQUARE, Barbados, CMC – Jamaica remained in the hunt for the Regional Under-19 one-day title when they easily defeated ICC Americas by seven wickets in the penultimate round of matches here yesterday.
They restricted ICC Americas to a modest 135 for nine off 50 overs with Akash Shah top-scoring with 30 and seamer Kijana Johnson claiming four for 31.
Tristan Coleman then stroked an unbeaten 35 while wicketkeeper Aldaine Thomas chipped in with 35, to lead Jamaica to their target off 35.3 overs.
The victory put them on 25.5 points, 8.5 points behind leaders Guyana who have drawn a bye for Wednesday’s last round of matches.
Sent in, ICC Americas were tottering at 61 for six in the 16th over after Johnson nabbed the first three wickets to fall in a devastating opening spell.
They were rescued by a 60-run, sixth wicket stand between Akash Shah (30) and Salman Ahmad (28), who carried the score into three figures.
Neither batsmen got a single boundary as Shah faced 108 balls and Ahmad, 97 deliveries. Once Ahmad and Rayyankhan Pathan (0) fell in the space of three balls with no runs to leave ICC Americas on 121 for eight in the 47th over, the innings tailed away.
Openers Kerry Holness (31) and captain Oshane Walters (21) put on a measured 54 off 83 balls for the first wicket in the run chase.
Holness faced 50 balls and struck three fours while Walters failed to find the boundary in his 41-ball knock.
Both fell within 16 balls of each other with nine runs added at 63 for two in the 17th over, handing ICC Americas a small glimmer of hope.
Coleman and Thomas then came together in a 67-run partnership for the third wicket, to erase any hopes of defeat.
Coleman struck three fours off 69 balls and Thomas hit four fours in his 50-ball innings before the latter perished with six needed for victory.
Jamaica face hosts Barbados in their final round match.
