Windies crash out of Under-19 World Cup

BENONI, South Africa, CMC:

West Indies dropped four catches, missed a vital run out while conceding 38 runs from the last three full overs, as they squandered a winning position to crash to a shock two-wicket defeat to New Zealand, and miss out on a spot in the final four of the ICC Under-19 World Cup yesterday.

Defending 238 at Willowmoore Park, the Caribbean side reduced the young Kiwis to 153 for eight in the 35th over after left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd had ripped through the innings with an excellent spell of three for 33 from his 10 overs.

But eventual Man-of-the-Match Kristian Clarke, with an unbeaten 46 and Joey Field, 38 not out, displayed composure and maturity beyond their years in a record, unbroken ninth wicket stand of 86, to turn the game on its head and propel New Zealand to victory with two balls to spare.

With the pressure growing, West Indies’ fielding fell apart and discipline left their bowling, and New Zealand capitalised to whittle down a required asking rate from nearly eleven, by taking 14 runs from both the 47th and 48th overs and another 10 from the 49th over.

West Indies missed a big moment off the last ball of the 49th when Field raced back to the striker’s end for a second run but wicketkeeper Leonardo Julien failed to gather the return which would have found the batsman short of his ground.

With a manageable seven runs needed off the last over bowled by seamer Nyeem Young, Clarke scrambled a single off the first ball before Field struck a sweetly-timed straight boundary off the next ball.

Another sharp single left the scores tied and Clarke carved the fourth ball – a full length delivery – to the cover boundary to break the Windies’ hearts.

Fast bowlers Joshua James (2-45) and Matthew Forde (2-64) claimed two wickets apiece to help give West Indies the early advantage.

Left-hander Kirk McKenzie had earlier perished agonisingly short of triple figures for 99 as the previously unbeaten West Indies, opting to bat first, were dismissed in the 48th over.