Canada U17s edge Bermuda U17s in rain-hit thriller

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – In-form Delray Rawlings struck 87, as Bermuda came up seven runs short under the Duckworth-Lewis Method against unbeaten Canada in the ICC Americas Under-17 Match Play Tournament on Wednesday here.

Delray Rawlings
Delray Rawlings

Left-hander Rawlings, who top-scored with 79 in the Bermudians’ 36-run defeat to the United States on Monday, was again the leading batsman for the hosts, as they chased a revised target of 200 in 42 overs in a rain-hit game of fluctuating fortunes at the National Sports Centre, after the Canadians made 211 for nine in their 50 overs.

Rawlings, a member of the ICC Americas side that took part in the recent WICB Regional Under-19 Tournament in Guyana, collected 11 fours and two sixes in his 81-ball knock, batting at five, to lead the run chase.

He added 101 for the fourth wicket with Jordan Smith before he was sixth out at 165, caught at long-off – a dismissal that dented Bermuda’s victory hopes.

The Bermudians, who closed on 193 for nine, had their innings interrupted by heavy rain when they were 39 for three.

The home team began the final over needing 16 to win with three wickets in hand. They picked up nine runs off the first four balls, but tail-ender Chare Smith was run out off the penultimate ball and wicketkeeper Antoine Seaman was caught near the mid-wicket boundary off the final delivery.

Slow bowler Harsh Thaker followed up his three for nine in the visitors’ seven-wicket victory over the Americans the previous day by pinning down Bermuda’s batsmen, taking two for 11 from nine overs. There were also two wickets apiece for Miraj Patel and Kurt Ramdath.

Earlier, Bermuda had Canada on the ropes at 21 for three and then 54 for five in the 17th over, but Arslan Khan, coming at five, dug his side out of the hole with a knock of 76 off 92 balls, including six fours and a six, and highlighted by a seventh-wicket stand of 92 with Abdul Haseeb.

Opening bowler Jordan Smith was the pick of the Bermudian bowlers with four for 43 from his 10 overs, as Christian Gibbons chipped in with two for 25 from six. Slow bowler Rawlins picked up one wicket, but conceded only 15 runs from his 10 overs.

The tournament is being used to prepare the teams for the 2015 ICC Americas World Cup qualifiers.

Summarised scores:

CANADA 211 for nine of 50 overs (Arslan Khan 76, Abdul Haseeb 32 not out; Jordan Smith 4-43, Christian Gibbons 2-25)

BERMUDA (target: 200 off 42 overs) 193 for nine off 50 overs (Delray Rawlins 87; Harsh Thaker 2-11, Miraj Patel 2-40, Kurt Ramdath 2-42)