T&T dethrone Barbados as Rising Stars U-15 Super50 champs

ST JOHN’S (CMC):

OPENER CHRISTIAN Lall hit a stroke-filled half-century to follow up another clinical bowling performance led by Brendon Boodoo and Yasir Deen as Trinidad & Tobago swept to their 10th West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championship title with a six-wicket win against Leeward Islands yesterday in Antigua.

The result meant that unbeaten T&T finished with 23.8 points, adding to their 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019 titles.

On the final day of matches, a tidy bowling performance enabled Guyana to romp to their second successive win when they condemned last year’s champions, Barbados, to a seven-wicket defeat in a low-scoring contest.

That result left Guyana on 15 points.

In the other game on the day, a solid all-round performance from captain Theo Edwards enabled Windward Islands to beat Jamaica by four wickets for a third-place finish with 13.8 points.

Earsinho Fontaine of Windwards was the most prolific batsman in the tournament with 197 runs at an average of 49.25, and Deen was the most successful bowler with 14 wickets at 7.07 apiece.

At the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Lall struck six fours and two sixes in 52 from 55 balls to help T&T successfully chase 163 for victory.

Lall dominated an opening stand of 77 with Dimitri Ramjattan before he was bowled by Kunal Tilokani in the 18th over, with T&T needing 73 from 32.2 overs.

Zane Maraj, not out on 28, and Christiano Ramanan, 28, sharing exactly 50 for the fourth wicket, put the result beyond doubt.

Earlier, Boodoo returned the flattering figures of three for nine from eight overs, and Deen took three for 34 from his allotted 10 overs, the two helping to bowl out the hosts for 162 in 48 overs after they decided to bat.

53 OFF 59 BALLS

Leewards captain Matthew Miller defied the T&T attack, top-scoring with 53 off 59 balls that included half-dozen fours, and opener Tanez Francis made 27, but no other batsmen reached 20.

The result meant the hosts finished fourth with 10.4 points.

At the Liberta Cricket Ground, left-arm spinner Arun Gainda, his captain, Dave Mohabir, and newball bowler Jonathan Mentore captured three wickets apiece to set up the Guyanese for an emphatic win over the Barbadians.

Choosing to bat, Barbados were bowled out for 69 in 20.5 overs, with opener Oliver Gooding leading the way with 23 but no other getting past 10.

Spinner Akobi Crichlow-Byer grabbed two wickets to add a bit of drama to the chase, but the Guyanese crossed the finish line with 162 balls remaining, sending the Barbadians sliding to a deflating fourth loss in the tournament and fifth place with 7.2 points.

At the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Edward followed up a destructive spell with 59 off 66 balls with eight fours opening the batting. The Windwards would go on to successfully chase 147 for victory.

Windwards were 86 for three when Edward was lbw to opposite number Nicol McKenzie in the 18th over.

But his teammates ensured that his good work at the top of the order did not go to waste, formalising the result with 85 balls remaining, thanks to 22 from Cody Fontenelle and 20 not out from Jorden Charles.

Earlier, Edward snared four for 27 from nine overs, and Fontenelle supported with two for eight from 3.3 overs, the two wrecking the Jamaica batting, sending them crashing to 146 all out in 42.3 overs.

The Jamaicans would end last, with 6.6 points.