Barbados clinch Rising Stars title with one round to spare

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Barbados defended their CWI Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 50-over Championship title in emphatic fashion by defeating Trinidad and Tobago in the fourth and penultimate round here on Saturday.

It was their fourth win in as many matches and with the Leeward Islands’ loss to Guyana, Barbados cannot be overtaken in today’s final round of matches.

In the day’s other result, Jamaica emerged victorious by trouncing the Windward Islands.

At Pigotts Sports Ground, Barbados will be crowned champions once again following their comprehensive six-wicket victory over Trinidad and Tobago.

The win moved their record to 4-0 with just one round of matches to go, with their nearest challengers holding 2-2 records.

The result always seemed likely once T&T were routed for just 141 in 37.1 overs, thanks mainly to a five-wicket haul by Rajeev Parsooram.

Barbados had a slight wobble early on, losing both their openers cheaply, but recovered to comfortably reach 142 for four in 31.1 overs.

T&T seemed on track to post a competitive total when openers Christian Lall and Levi Ghanny were at the crease during a 92-run stand.

But once Parsooram got the breakthrough by having Lall caught for 54 off 63 balls, T&T lost their way.

Raphael Lovell had Ghanny stumped for 25, while Tariq Richards, Christiano Ramanan and Renaldo Fournillier all fell cheaply to leave T&T stuttering at 110 for five after 26 overs.

Parsooram finished with figures of 5-35, while Justin Parris took 2-9 and Lovell 2-21.

At Bethesda Sports Ground: Jamaica kept the Windward Islands winless by handing them a 114-run whipping.

Buoyed by an unbeaten century from opener Tyson Gordon Jr and half centuries by captain Odane Binns and Demarco Scott, Jamaica coasted to 252 for three in their 50 overs.

The Windward Islands’ batters then failed to fire, with Perico Henry’s four-wicket haul helping to bowl them out for a meagre 139 runs in 25.3 overs.

Henry claimed the wickets of Earshino Fontaine, Zach Thomas and Tyler Venner in quick succession to reduce the Windwards to 51 for six.

The Windward Islands only managed to get over the 100-run mark thanks to a fighting knock of 47 from Cody Fontinelle, with the outcome of the match long decided.

Henry claimed 4-28 and Joel Williams 2-25.

Earlier, Gordon Jr and Binns shared a partnership of 103 runs for the first wicket, which helped to set the tempo for the remainder of the innings.

Binns was eventually dismissed for 55 off 97 balls, with the wickets of Demario Hall and Pajay Nelson falling in quick order to make the score 141 for three.

But Gordon Jr, who finished unbeaten on 102 off 132 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, and Scott, who scored 52 not out off 45 balls, shared an unbroken partnership of 111 runs to take Jamaica to a winning target.