Georgetown : A superb century by opener Shimron Hetmeyer was the highlight of the second round of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Under-19 50-over tournament as he led Guyana to 59-run victory Windward Islands in a high-scoring match on Monday.
Hetmeyer went after the bowling from the get-go and played a number of authentic shots as the bulk of his runs came square of the wicket. He raced to 116 off 118 balls with 14 fours and two sixes as Guyana rattled up 317-8 off 50 overs on a batsman-friendly surface at the Friendship Cricket Ground. It was the second day in a row the team batting first topped the 300-run mark on this pitch – T&T made 332-6 against Leewards on Sunday.
Hetmeyer added 108 in 20 overs for the first wicket Tagenarine Chanderpaul (26) and after they parted Ricardo Adams blasted six massive sixes in a whirlwind 50 off 23 balls.
Asked to score at over six runs per over, Windwards made a brave chase but were bowled out for 258 in the 47th over. Jerlani Robinson appeared unstoppable as he made 80 off 66 balls, but he was again dismissed when well set and that dashed the Windwards’ hopes. Fast bowler Romario Shepherd (4-58) was good in the middle overs and also had a brilliant run out.
Barbados joined Guyana on two wins as they held their nerve to see off Trinidad and Tobago by four wickets with six balls left at Bayfield. Left-hander Carlos Maynard hit a six and a four in the penultimate over to pilot the Bajans to 198-6 off 49 overs in reply to T&T’s 197 all out.
Barbados owed their win to another quality knock from captain Shai Hope – 61 off 105 balls – to follow up his 139 not out on Sunday. He added 99 for the second wicket with Craig St Hill, who made a fighting 42 to combat the seven bowlers used by Trinidad and Tobago.
In the first half Barbados bowled well. Left-arm spinner Chad Williams (10-2-24-4) and left-arm seamer Darnell Greenidge (8-2-14-3) made life difficult on a good surface. Captain Vikash Mohan topscored with 62 and keeper Nicholas Pooran, fresh from a century on Sunday, chipped in with 34. They added 66 for the fifth wicket at a crucial stage to pull the innings around from 80-4.
Over at Queen’s Park it was one-way traffic as Jamaica beat Leeward Islands by eight wickets. In a match reduced to 38 over due to early morning rain in the City, the Jamaicans earned their first win as they bowled out Leewards for 125 and then raced to 127-2.
The Leewards’ suffered a major collapse as the last five wickets fell for seven runs in four overs. Openers Kerry Holness and Oshane Walters added 50 runs in six overs to jump-start the innings. Holness made 70 not out off 87 balls as Jamaica won with 65 balls to spare.
The tournament continues on Wednesday at 9 am (8 am Jamaica Time). Guyana face T&T at the Desmond Haynes Oval, Windward Islands meet Jamaica at Weymouth and Jamaica take on the ICC Americas at the Pine Basin.
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