T&T emerge champions after TS Don ruins final round

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago retained their Regional Under-17 title after all three final round matches were abandoned because of heavy rain from the passage of Tropical Storm Don here Tuesday.

The hosts ended on 19.8 points with Barbados second on 16 and Windward Islands third on 14.7. Leeward Islands finished narrowly ahead of Guyana (13.3) with 13.4 while Jamaica were bottom on 1.3 after sustaining four defeats in their five matches.

Playing at the National Cricket Centre, T&T limited Leewards to 214 all out off 47.3 overs, before the rains arrived and ruined any chance of a reply.

The water-logged outfield at the National Cricket Centre following heavy rains yesterday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Demari Benta, batting at number seven, top-scored with 47 while opener Uri Smith got 27 and captain Elroy Francis, 26.

There were two key partnerships during the innings with Smith adding 48 for the first wicket with Shaquan Pemberton (24) and Francis and Paul Miller (18) posting another 44 for the fifth wicket.

When Leewards slumped from 128 for four to 148 for seven, Benta then shepherded the innings, striking seven fours in a 60-ball knock.

Off-spinner Avinash Mahabirsingh was the best bowler with three for 48 from his 10 overs.

At Gilbert Park, Barbados dismissed Guyana for 149 off their 50 overs before rain also prevented them from starting their reply.

Opener Sachin Singh top-scored with 29 while Kevin Christian and Kevlon Anderson both chipped in with 25 apiece.

Anderson and Singh put on 41 for the third wicket before Christian and Ashmead Nedd (23) added 35 for the fifth wicket but Guyana lost their last six wickets for just 23 runs.

Fast bowler Matthew Forde led the Barbados attack with four 34 while fellow new ball seamer Ramon Simmonds claimed three for 44.

In the other game at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, opener Kirk McKenzie struck a stroke-filled 81 off 60 balls as Jamaica reached 186 for seven off 48 overs against Windward Islands before the game was abandoned.

McKenzie counted 14 fours and two sixes, dominating a 53-run third-wicket stand with Geordae Seymour (9) and a 44-run, third wicket partnership with Jerome Johnson who was unbeaten on a patient 40.

Off-spinner Garvin Serieux was the leading bowler with three for 33.