Honours were shared between the Windward Islands and Barbados on Tuesday in their opening match of the West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 50-Overs Championship at Park Hill, St Vincent & the Grenadines.
Thanks to the exploits of Saint Lucia’s Theo Edward, the Windwards appeared to be well on their way to setting newly-crowned 2-Day champions Barbados a stiff challenge. But a flurry of wickets, followed by rainfall that proved to be a bit more than a flurry ended the contest.
Edward had a relatively sedate 55, with seven boundaries, opening the batting opposite Grenada’s Stephan Pascal. The two, Pascal the aggressor and Edward the anchor, put on 93 for the first wicket in 13.1 overs.
After Pascal’s departure for 41, 25 more runs were added to the tally, and two more wickets lost, before Edward also succumbed. Saint Lucian wicketkeeper Steven Abraham was the second of those two prior wickets, out for duck.
From that point forward, the innings limped on. Lee John and Earsinho Fontaine added 26. Later on, Kisten Murray and Jelani Joseph colluded for 31. Murray made 23 as the Windward Islands stuttered to 192 all out in 47.4 overs. Extras contributed 19, including a leg-bye, 12 wides, and six no-balls.
Barbados captain Nathan Sealy conducted his bowling attack like a world-class orchestra, and the Windwards were never really able to get much going. Bowling for Barbados, Jatario Prescod took 3 for 33, Preston Clarke 2 for 10, and Saurav Worrell 2 for 22.
But the real story was that five Barbados bowlers each allowed fewer than 4.5 runs per over. Those five combined for 33 overs. Clarke’s 10 overs included three maidens, and he conceded only 10 runs in total.
Needing 193 to win, Barbados’ opening pair of Kyle Jordan and Zion Brathwaite got off to a brisk start, 50 in just five overs. Jordan caught for 27 in 18 balls, the score 51-1.
Joshua Dorne never got going and was soon leg-before-wicket to Kirt Murray for six – 72 for 2, with extras contributing eight made of seven wides, and one no-ball.
The rains came soon after for a second time leaving the umpires no choice but to call off the match in gloomy light. Barbados was left stranded on 72 for 2 off 10.1 overs chasing a revised target of 161 in 35 overs after the first rain interruption.
Zion Brathwaite was not out 31, and bowling for the Windward Islands Kirt Murray 1-1, and Kirtney Franklyn 1-13 as the match ended in a no result.
Cumberland Playing Field will host the Windwards versus Jamaica on Wednesday. Defending champions Jamaica lost their opening match to Guyana.
Robertson Henry, with additional reporting by Terry Finisterre
