Parris masterclass leaves Jamaica U19s in tatters

Jamaica U19 captain Pajay Nelson said his side had to play their best cricket if they were to win the CWI Rising Stars U19 limited-overs final, but it was their opponents, Barbados, who brought out the goods in a one-sided final.

Justin Parris delivered a performance for the ages yesterday, smashing a brilliant century and claiming five wickets to propel Barbados to a commanding 116-run victory over Jamaica at Liberta Sports Club.

The all-round masterclass secured Barbados’ second consecutive title and capped an unbeaten campaign, marking one of the most dominant displays in the tournament’s recent history.

Parris’s even 100 anchored Barbados to a formidable 320 for nine, before his off-spin tore through Jamaica’s batting line-up, returning figures of 5-35 as the Caribbean rivals were bowled out for 204 in 43.5 overs.

The defending champions were given an early scare when Jahdae Moore removed opener Gadson Bowens for just eight, but Kelani Clarke and Jordan Graham steadied the ship with a 74-run partnership for the second wicket that carried Barbados to 95 for one in the 16th over.

Alixandre Elliot sparked a mini-collapse, dismissing Clarke for a brisk 49 off 44 balls, while Demarco Scott bowled Seth Smith for three. Elliot then returned to trap Graham for 21, reducing Barbados to 101 for four.

However, Parris and Kemar Dixon rebuilt the innings with a crucial 108-run stand for the fifth wicket. Dixon fell for 48 off 71 balls, but Parris and R’Jai Gittens, with 37 from 19 balls, combined in an 80-run partnership off just eight overs to propel Barbados to 291 for seven after 48.

Parris brought up his century in the penultimate over before being dismissed by Joel Williams, having faced 98 balls, striking 12 fours and one six. Rajeev Parsooram finished in style, smashing 14 runs off five balls to close the innings.

Elliot was Jamaica’s best bowler with 4-40, while Moore claimed 3-58.

Needing a solid start to have any chance of chasing down the imposing target, Jamaica were immediately on the back foot as pacer Asher Branford struck early.

Branford trapped Odane Binns lbw for seven, had Joel Williams caught for a duck, and dismissed Demarco Scott lbw to leave Jamaica reeling at 46 for three.

Tyson Gordon Jr was dismissed for 28 by Jahidi Hinds, but Demario Hall and captain Pajay Nelson added 58 runs for the fifth wicket to keep Jamaica in the contest at 134 for four.

That’s when Parris took centre stage with the ball. He dismissed Hall for 47, while Parsooram accounted for Nelson after he scored 36, leaving Jamaica at 150 for six.

Parris then grabbed the wickets of Ryan Lyttleton for two, and Geovanni Grey for a duck, as Jamaica slumped to 152 for eight, before dismissing Elliot and Moore to clean up the tail.

Branford finished with 3-19 in support of Parris’ heroics.

At Bethesda Sports Ground, Trinidad and Tobago thrashed the Leeward Islands by seven wickets to claim third place, while at Pigotts Sports Ground, Guyana exacted revenge on the Windward Islands with a 53-run victory in the fifth-place play-off.