ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The fifth and final round of the CWI Rising Stars Under-15 Men’s 50-over Championship delivered a trio of thrilling contests on Monday, with Windward Islands, Jamaica, and Guyana all celebrating hard-fought victories.
At the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Windward Islands snatched a tense two-wicket win over Leeward Islands, chasing down a modest 138 with 11 overs to spare.
Leewards, opting to bat first, struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 137 in 42.5 overs. Opener Aedan Williams stood tall amid the rubble, carrying his bat for an unbeaten 51.
DeShawn James provided useful support with 32, but the innings never truly took off. Nian Davis was the destroyer for Windwards, claiming brilliant figures of 3 for 19.
In reply, Windwards wobbled their way to 140 for 8 in 39 overs. Nicken Justin top-scored with 30, while Aaron St. Hillaire chipped in with 20.
Davis again played a key role, this time with the bat, making 19, before Javien Benjamin’s calm 17 not out saw his side home. Ryan Marchan, Williams, and Kamari France took two wickets each for Leewards, but it wasn’t enough to defend their low total.
At Melbourne Park in Jamaica, the hosts produced a ruthless bowling display to skittle Trinidad and Tobago for just 74 in 23.2 overs.
Hugh Turner ran through the T&T batting order with stunning figures of 5 for 19, while Zachary Buchanan (3 for 9) and Raheim Livingston (2 for 24) provided excellent support. Nityum Mongru (24) and Keshav Mongru (15) were the only batters to offer any real resistance.
Chasing a paltry 75, Jamaica lost five wickets in the process but reached their target comfortably in 26.2 overs. Buchanan (18) and Rajae McGeachy (15) laid the foundation, while Jabari Ralph’s unbeaten 13 sealed the five-wicket win. Giovanni McKnight and Sanjiv Bachu took two scalps each, but T&T’s total proved far too small.
At the Albion Sports Complex in Guyana, a match reduced to 20 overs per side saw the hosts post 115 for 7, thanks largely to Asgarally Nabbie’s 26 and valuable late blows from Gautam Dhanraj (16 not out) and Lomar Seecharan (16). Shiv Sahadeo, Michael Bend, and Liam Sealy grabbed two wickets each for Barbados.
In response, Barbados were restricted to 79 for 9 in their 20 overs. Shawnico Sargeant fought hard for 30, but he found little support as Seecharan turned the game with a mesmerizing spell of 4 for 5.
Leon Reddy chipped in with 2 for 18 as Guyana claimed a 36-run victory to round off a day of compelling youth cricket.
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