Greaves' all-round effort fails to save Young WI

VISAKHAPATNAM, India (CMC):

A solid all-round performance from Justin Greaves failed to spark the West Indies Under-19s, and Sri Lanka Under-19s clinched a tense, two-wicket victory in the Quadrangular Youth one-day international Series yesterday.

Playing at the Reddy Stadium, Greaves stroked a valuable 33 and Kaveem Hodge hit the top score of 50, as the Young Windies were dismissed for 146 in 47.1 overs in their opening match of the series, a warm-up for next year's Youth World Cup in Australia.

Greaves followed up his batting exploits with an excellent contribution in the field, grabbing four wickets for 26 runs from 10 overs while bowling his uncomplicated medium-pace.

Despite this, the Sri Lankans replied with 147 for eight to clinch victory.

The 17-year-old Greaves was in the thick of things early, holding the catch that dismissed Sri Lanka U19's wicketkeeper/batsman Niroshan Dickwella for two in the second over off Ronsford Beaton.

Greaves put the skids on the Sri Lankans, when he had Duleeka Thissakuttige caught behind for one and opener Shehan Fernando caught in the field for five, leaving the Asian side wobbling on 23 for three.

He later had Pulina Tharanga caught by YWI captain Kraigg Brathwaite for two in the 16th over and Sanitha de Mel caught in the deep for 12 in the 23rd over to leave the Sri Lankans tottering on 71 for eight.

But the Young Windies failed to wrap things up with an unbroken, ninth-wicket stand of 76 between Lahiru Madushanka, whose 42 not out was the top score, and Tharinda Kaushal, not out on 30, sweeping the Sri Lankans to a remarkable victory with 22 balls remaining.

Ambidextrous all-rounder Kyle Mayers finished with two for 24 from his allotted 10 overs and Beaton grabbed two for 39 from seven overs.

The Young Windies also hurt their cause by delivering a whopping 22 wides, with Beaton accounting for 11 and Greaves credited with eight.

Earlier, the Young Windies' batting also failed, and they sunk to 42 for five in the 16th over before Hodge and Greaves brought some respectability to the total.