T&T CRICKET BOARD REGIONAL U-17 SERIES

B’dos,T&T looking to preserve unbeaten run
December 15th 2008

T&T and Barbados cricketers will be seeking to maintain their unbeaten run, when the crucial Round Three matches in the T&T Cricket Board Regional Under-17 Series bowls off on Sunday at venues in North and Central Trinidad.

Both teams were impressive winners in the first two round of matches. Hosts T&T crushed the lowly-rated Windward Islands by 115 runs in the opening round and followed up with a resounding eight wicket win against Jamaica in Round Two on Friday. Outstanding performers for T&T thus far are opening batsman Evin Lewis, spinner Sachin Boodram, allrounder Yannic Cariah and fast bowler Teshawn Castro.

The Jason Holder-led Barbados team were victorious by 28-run against Guyana and on Friday they crushed the Leeward Islands by 163 runs at Honeymoon Park in Tacarigua.

Showing great promise in the Barbados line-up are talented batsman Kraigg Brathwaite, allrounders Roston Chase and Holder.

In today’s match-up, Barbados will battle Jamaica at the Queen’s Park Oval, while T&T will start favourites against Guyana at Invaders Ground in Felicity.

In the remaining match, the Leeward Islands and Windward Islands will going all out for their first points of the series when they square-off at Gilbert Park in California.

Meanwhile, Leo Doodnath, head of the Regional Matches Committee said that he is quite pleased with the progress of the tournament.

“From an organisational standpoint, from the reports which we have had and from my own field visits, the first two rounds were completed without incident. Of course we were blessed with excellent weather, but in terms of logistics, all systems worked exceptionally well. Those with responsibilities went beyond the call of duty - from Senior Admin. Officer Rambhai Patel at Head Office, to our Liasion Officers in the field - Roy Saroop, Brian Julien, Steve Nandlal, Kishor Nandlal, Kazim Mohammed, Ramesh Maharaj and Gregory Asgarali, and so too our venue managers - Narine Bidhesi, Chaitram Ramjitsingh, Sukesh Maniam, Anil Kamal, Rajendra Ramnarine, Ronald Cape and Rafi Ali,- all our key personnel really gave more than one hundred per-cent so as to ensure that everything was in placewhich resulted in games being successfully completed. We are all looking forward to the remainder of the tournament."

Round Three -Fixtures -Dec 14 (Sunday)

Barbados v Jamaica at Queen’s Park Oval; Leewards v Windwards at Gilbert Park; Guyana v T&T at Invaders.

Lewis leads T&T to second win
December 15th 2008

T&T cricketers recorded their second victory on the trot, when scored an easy eight- wicket win against Jamaica in Round Two of the T&TCB Regional Under-17 Series, yesterday, at Syne Village in Penal.

Still basking in their glory after their huge 115-run-win over the Windward Islands in the opening match of the tournament on Thursday, the well-oiled and disciplined T&T team gave another commanding allround performance to register full points against the opposition.

The Jamaicans won the toss and opted for first strike against T&T’s potent bowling attack.

They struggled to 141 all out in 47.2 overs, with only Kemar Marshall offering resistance with a stubborn 38 off 77 balls with four fours. Doing the bowling trick for the home team were right-arm spinner Sachin Boodram with four for 28 and left-arm spinner Derone Davis two for 38. In pursuit of their victory target, T&T suffered an early loss with the dismissal of West Indies under -15 captain Stephen Katwaroo in the first over.

However, T&T U-19 players — Evin Lewis and skipper Yannick Ottley featured in an unbroken third wicket partnership of 122 to seal a one-sided victory for the homesters.

T&T ended on 142 for two in 37.1 overs, with opening batsman Lewis hitting s stroke-filled 85 off 115 balls with 11 fours and three sixes, while Ottley’s 35 came from 94 balls with two fours. Lewis copped the ‘Players of the Match’ award.

At Honeymoon Park in Tacarigua, Barbados’ Under-19 player Roston Chase led by example with a match-winning allround performance to lead the TCL Group West Indies U-19 Challenge three-day champions to a comfortable 163- run win against the Leeward Islands.

Batting first, the young Bajans tallied a decent 236 for nine off 50 overs, with skipper Jason Holder hitting an impressive 57 off 66 balls with five fours and the in-form Chase 45 from 74 deliveries. Also making a solid contribution was Shane Dowrich with 33 off 59 balls and included three fours.

Holder and Chase shared in an important fourth wicket partnership of 105 which tilted the balance in their team’s favour after they slipped to 73 for three in the 22nd over.

Leading bowler for Leewards was Jeffrey Adams with three for 44. Set an asking rate of a little less than five runs per-over for victory, the Leewards’ batsmen never got their act in order and folded for 73, with Chase taking three wickets for nine runs from 10 overs, six of which were maidens. Also among the wickets were Marquez Clarke (3-14) and Jomel Warrican (3-21).

Elsewhere at Wilson Road in Penal, Guyana rebounded from their defeat at the hands off Barbados in Round One, with an exciting one-wicket win with three balls to spare against the Windward Islands.

The Islanders won the toss and chose to bat but were undermined by right-arm leg-spinner Amir Khan who bagged four for 17 and fast bowler Seon Daniels with three for 15 and were restricted to a paltry 122 for nine from the allotted 50 overs. Skipper Kaveem Hodge topscored with a painstaking 23.

Guyana in reply had some early hiccups but in the end rallied to a narrow win.

Led by good scores from Herell Green (30), Daniels (23), Dyanand Roopnarine (22) and skipper Dexter Solomon (23 not out) Guyana scrambled to victory with the third ball of the final over.

Rudolph Paul (2-15) and Hodge (2-21) were the top bowlers for the Windwards.

Today is a rest day in the tournament, which will resume tomorrow.

PHOTO: CLYDEEN MC DONALD

CAPTION: Barbados captain Jason Holder drives through the off-side during his innings of 57 against Leeward Islands in Round Two of the T&TCB Regional Under-17 Series at the Honeymoon Ground in El Dorado yesterday. Barbados won by 136 runs.

Round Two - Summarised Scores

AT SYNE VILL.: Jamaica 141 all out (47.2 overs) (Kemar Marshall 38, Anchad Hamilton 27, Sachin Boodram 4-28, Derone Davis 2-18) v Trinidad and Tobago 142-2 (37.1 overs) (Evin Lewis 85 not out, Yannic Ottley 35 not out). T&T won by 8 wkts. E Lewis (MoM).

AT HONEYMOON PARK: Barbados 236-9 (50 overs) (Jason Holder 57, Roston Chase 45, Shane Dowrich 33, Jeffrey Adams 3-44) v Leeward Islands 73 all out (37.4 overs) (Roston Chase 3-9, Marquez Clarke 3-14, Jomel Warrican 3-21). Barbados won by 163 runs. R Chase (MoM).

AT WILSON ROAD: Windward Islands 122-9 (50 overs) (Kaveem Hodge 23, Rudolph Paul 21, Dwight Thomas 21, Amir Khan 4-17, Seon Daniels 3-15) v Guyana 123-9 (49.3 overs) (Harell Green 30, Seon Daniels 23, Dyanand Roopnarine 22, Dexter Solomon 22 not out, Rudolph Paul 2-15, Kaveem Hodge 2-21. Guyana won by 1 wkt. Seon Daniels (MoM).