KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):
Barbados and Jamaica will meet in the final of the West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 three-day championship today in St Vincent.
This followed crucial wins against Leeward Islands and hosts Windward Islands, respectively, on the final day of their third-round matches on Thursday.
The Barbadians, led by their captain, left-arm spinner Nathan Sealy, and off-spinner Saurav Worrell, clinched an 85-run win against the Leewards, and the Jamaicans endured a wobble after Reon Edwards and Tamarie Redwood shared eight wickets before they claimed a three-wicket win against the Windwards.
The Barbadians ended the group stage unofficially with 66 points and a perfect 3-0 record in Group B, and Jamaica finished with 43 points that included two wins in Group A.
At Arnos Vale, Sealy ended with five for 13 from 11 overs and Worrell supported with three for 35 from 10 overs, as Barbados dismissed the Leewards for 82 in their second innings in the low-scoring contest.
Jewel Andrew led the way with 24 and was the only Leewards batsman to reach 20 after they were set 168 to win.
All but two of the Leewards batsmen were bowled or lbw, with the Barbadian bowlers using the slow, low nature of the pitch to good effect.
At Park Hill, chasing 128 to win, Jamaica defied a spell of three for 51 from nine overs for Kirtney Franklyn, with captain Brian Barnes’ 29 and opener Adrian Weir’s 27.
ENDING FIGURES
Earlier, Edwards bagged four for 66 from 17 overs to end with match figures of 10 for 78, and Redwood grabbed four for 92 from 21 overs to help Jamaica bowl out Windwards for 258 in their second innings.
Windwards captain Ackeem Auguste cracked 16 fours in 96 off 136 balls to lead his side’s batting, opener Stephen Pascal supported with 44, Reshawn Lewis made 34, and Tarrique Edwards added 23.
In the other game on Friday, Guyana’s Jeremy Sandia collected five for 42 from 21 overs and led the destruction of the Trinidad & Tobago second-innings batting for 155 at Sion Hill.
Kyle Ramdoo hit the top score of 52, striking three fours and two sixes in his 93-ball knock, but there was little substance from the rest of the batting.
Needing 75 to win, opener Shamar Yearwood followed up his first-innings half-century with a solid 40 and was the rock upon which the Guyanese completed their run chase.