Skipper Sachin Singh (50 and 1 wicket for 8 runs) inspired defending champions Guyana to an impressive seven-wicket win over Windward Islands in the opening round fixture of the West Indies Cricket Board Under-15 50-overs tournament at the Progress Park playing field, Grenada yesterday.
Windwards batted first and were bowled out for 108 in 40 overs with Garvin Serieux 33 and Jimmy Buddy 21 the main contributors.Daniel Paul (6-1-18-2), Gevon Schultz (8-2-23-2), Suresh Deodat (8-0-19-20), Leon Sammy (5-2-14-2) and Dwain Dick (7-1-20-1) were Guyana’s successful bowlers.
In reply, Guyana raced to a convincing victory with 12.2 overs remaining and celebrated when the score advanced to 109 for 3 in 37.4 overs after three quick dismissals.
Sachin Singh led by example with a match-winning fifty that was decorated with one six and five fours off 66 balls. The talented skipper shared a solid 91-run (26.2 overs) first-wicket partnership with Yeudister Persaud who made a patient 29 that contained two fours off 107 balls.
Singh, who was voted ‘Player-of-the- Match’; was first out lbw to Simeon Gerson for an even 50 in the 27th over while both Persaud and Dwain Dick (0) departed at 95 in the 32nd over.
But there were no more hiccups as Robert Samaroo (12 not out) and Sean Glasgow (5 n.o.) brought home the victory.
Trinidad and Tobago also started on a winning note with a 23-run victory over Barbados in their first-round encounter at the LaSagesse ground in Grenada yesterday.
T&T batted first and compiled 174 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs while they bowled out the Barbadians for 151 – Seth Agard 35, Rashawn Worrell 32 and Dasani Griffith 17.
Leon Basano 24, Jayden Seales 41, Aniel Pitiram 19 and Sameer Ali 16 were the main scorers for Trinidad and Tobago while Extras contributed handily with 45 (b-1, lb-1, nb-3, w-39).
The successful bowlers for T&T were Tariq Mohammed (8.1-1-21-3), Jayden Seales (7-0-40-1), Darren Samlal (10-1-33-2), Nicholas Ali (5-2-8-1) and Aniel Pitiram (1-0-10-1).
However, there was a big upset and shocking result when Leeward Islands upstaged powerhouse Jamaica by two wickets at the Tanteen Recreation Ground.
Jamaica were dismissed for 141 in 42 overs (Razzaq Williams 28, Romario Barnes 27) while Leewards replied with 142 for 8 in 45.4 overs (Kenny Sutton 33, Damien Hodge 19, Tariq Newman 22 and Cordelle Romney 19).
The second-round fixtures are scheduled for tomorrow with Guyana and Barbados up against each other at the Tanteen Recreation ground while T&T take on Jamaica at Progress Park and Leewards face Windwards at LaSagesse.
(Taken from Guyana Chronicle)