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, and Trinidad & Tobago swept to their 10th West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championship title with a six-wicket win against the Leeward Islands on Wednesday in Antigua.
The result meant that T&T played unbeaten throughout the tournament, finishing with 23.8 points, and they added to their previous titles in the inaugural season of 1996, three straight from 2000 to 2002, as well as 2005 and 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.
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 to finish second with 15 points. A solid all-round performance from their captain Theo Edwards enabled the Windward Islands to beat Jamaica by four wickets to come third 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, and T&T successfully chased 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, made 28 and shared precisely 50 for the fourth wicket to 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 ten overs, and the hosts were bowled out for 162 in 48 overs after they decided to bat.
Leewards captain Matthew Miller defied the T&T attack and top scored with 53 off 59 balls that included half-dozen fours, and opener Tanez Francis made 27, but no other batsmen reached 20, and the hosts finished fourth with 10.4 points.
AT THE LIBERTA CRICKET GROUND: Left-arm spinner Arun Gainda, his captain Dave Mohabir, and new ball 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 and sent 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, and the Windwards successfully chased 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 his excellent work at the top of the order did not go to waste, and they formalized 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, and they wrecked the Jamaica batting, sending them crashing to 146 all out in 42.3 overs and last with 6.6 points.
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