GUYANA pulled off two comfortable wins in rounds six and seven of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-19 50-over competition to make it into the final, scheduled for August 2.Yesterday, the defending champions achieved a 139-run victory target set by Canada, to win by four wickets. They will face Jamaica, who were in a must-win position to progress to the championship match.
Prior to today’s match, Guyana led after six rounds with 25.2 points and claimed another 6.8 to amass 32 points. They are clearly out of the reach of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago who were in a battle for second on 21 and 20.4 points respectively, each with one match to play.
However, Jamaica battled to a 39-run win over Barbados to claim their six points and become the other finalists.
T&T were unfortunate to end up in a ‘no-result’ against the Leeward Islands in which they were rewarded 2.1 points to finish on 22.5.
Canada U-19 won the toss and took the opportunity to bat but found themselves in immediate trouble losing wickets in batches and eventually crumbling to 138 in 34.1 overs.
Ronaldo Alimohammed with 3-25 from four overs led the bowling charge as Balchan Baldeo, Keemo Paul and Sherfane Rutherford claimed two each and Grisean Grant accounted for the other Canadian wicket.
In reply, Guyana stormed to 142 in 24.1 overs but lost six wickets in the process. Paul led the run chase with an aggressive 51 while Rutherford struck a cameo unbeaten 30 and Baldeo, 30.
Harsha Thaker with 4-38 from his ten was responsible for troubling Guyana early on.
On Thursday, Paul and Kassim Khan both hit half-centuries to rally Guyana to a convincing 85-run win over Windward Islands, in their sixth round.
Paul stroked 54 and Khan 51, as Guyana piled up 257 all out off 49.5 overs at Ewarton Recreation Park. Prolific opener Shimron Hetmyer chimed in with 40 while Tevin Imlach supported with 36.
Off-spinner Dornan Edward claimed three for 40 while Othneil Lewis (2-33) and Gidron Pope (2-55) grabbed two wickets apiece.
Khan then returned with his left-arm spin to pick up four for 32 as the Windwards were dismissed for 172 off 39.3 overs.
He was supported by Akshaya Persaud (2-27) and Baldeo (2-30).
Gidron Pope hit a top score of 40 while Josiah Hilton scored 28 and Johnnel Eugene, 27.
In reply, the Windwards wasted an opening stand of 61 between Pope and Hilton, as they crashed from 89 for two, losing their last eight wickets for 83 runs, to a total of 172.
Pope lashed a four and five sixes in a cameo knock that needed just 28 deliveries while Hilton hit four fours in a patient 68-ball innings.