Jamaica suffer loss in rain-affected opening 50-over Championship round

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

THE WINDWARD Islands have taken an early lead in the CWI Rising Stars Under-17 Men’s 50-over Championship, which bowled off on Sunday.

While rain led to a no-result in the match between Barbados and the Leeward Islands and the contest involving Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana was abandoned without a ball being bowled, the Windward Islands edged Jamaica by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.

At Queen’s Park Oval, the Windward Islands pulled off an exciting four-run victory to jump to the top of the table after the opening round.

After being sent in to bat, Jamaica compiled 217 for nine from their 50 overs, thanks to a superb fightback from their lower order.

After medium-pacer Tyler Venner’s three early strikes reduced Jamaica to 27 for three, Ryan Littleton cracked an impressive 70 off 76 balls batting at number six, and Joel Williams made 40 to help get them past the 200-run mark.

The pair shared a 73-run partnership for the seventh wicket that rescued their side from 116 for six.

Venner finished with 3-47, Bjorn Francis took 2-34, and Elran Glasgow, 2-35.

Following persistent showers that delayed the start of their innings, the Windward Islands were given a revised target of 159 in 30 overs.

However, when the rains returned, they had reached 117 for five in 23 overs, four runs more than required by DLS.

The Windward Islands were given a lightning start by openers Theo Edward, who made 36, and Damali Phillips, who scored 25, with the two putting on 66 runs in just under 11 overs.

Littleton slowed them up with a four-wicket haul that reduced them to 95 for four, but the Windwards hung on to claim victory.

At the National Cricket Centre, Barbados were in a dominant position over the Leeward Islands, but were unable to take advantage after heavy showers brought their contest to a premature end.

Justin Parris and Reynaldo Bourne snagged two wickets apiece to limit their opponents to 136 for eight after their match was reduced to 32 overs a side.

The Leeward Islands benefit from a solid start, but then suffered a middle-order collapse from a comfortable position of 82 for two, losing six wickets for just 54 runs.

Barbados only managed to face 3.3 overs, reaching 19 without loss, before persistent rains forced the match to be called off.