ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Openers Ben Dawkins and Issac Mohammed both hit counter-attacking half-centuries to lead England Under-19s to an exciting two-wicket win over West Indies Under-19s in the fifth Youth One Day International and keep themselves in the hunt for a series victory here on Wednesday.
Playing at the National Cricket Stadium, Dawkins slammed 97 off 100 balls, while Mohammed struck 74 off 75 balls, as the visitors reached 277 for eight in 49 overs in response to the Windies’ total of 276 for nine.
The close win reduced the West Indies’ lead in the seven-match series to 3-2 and kept England in with a chance of winning the series.
Dawkins and Mohammed gave England the perfect start in their run chase during a 158-run stand while scoring at over six runs per over, which put them in the driver’s seat.
Mohammed hit five sixes and three fours in his knock before becoming the first of three wickets for left-arm spinner Vitel Lawes.
His dismissal sparked a mini collapse that saw England slip to 199 for four, with pacer Jakeem Pollard having Dawkins caught behind three runs short of a well-deserved century.
Dawkins struck nine fours and three sixes in his knock.
And when pacer Deshawn James accounted for the wickets of Farhan Ahmed and Ralphie Albert in the space of three deliveries, West Indies were in the ascendancy with the score 238 for seven in the 43rd over.
However, Luke Hands, who made an unbeaten 16 off 18 balls, and Manny Lumsden, who scored a quickfire 15 from 12 deliveries, shared an unbroken partnership of 27 runs to guide their side to victory with six balls remaining.
Lawes finished with 3-32, Pollard took 3-39, and James 2-49.
Earlier, West Indies opener Zachary Carter scored an aggressive half-century to be the mainstay of his team’s competitive total.
Carter hit a boundary-studded 87 off just 59 balls, decorated with nine massive sixes and four boundaries to get the Windies off to a brisk start.
Together with fellow opener Tanez Francis, who made 24, they put on 58 runs for the first wicket, and he also added 57 runs with Brendan Boodoo, who made 16.
But from a comfortable position of 115 for one, they lost the wickets of Boodoo, Carter, Kunal Tilokani, and the usually dependable Jonathan van Lange, to slump to 128 for four in the 22nd over.
Captain Joshua Dorne then joined forces with Matthew Miller to steady the innings during a 48-run partnership.
After the skipper fell for 24, Miller, who made 44, and Isra-el Morton, who contributed 28 runs, added 52 runs to help get the Windies up to a competitive total.
Manny Lumsden (2-31), Farhan Ahmed (2-51), and Luke Hands (2-53) were England’s best bowlers. The sixth Youth ODI will be played on Saturday.
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