Australia’s Under-19 to victory
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) – An innings of 74 from 105 balls from captain and batting prodigy Kraigg Brathwaite failed to upstage a hundred from Cameron Bancroft, which set Australia’s Under-19s up for a 63-run victory in the first youth One-day International yesterday.

Brathwaite struck 10 boundaries, as his side, chasing 241 for victory from their allocation of 50 overs, were dismissed with  35 balls remaining in the match contested at the Global Cricket Academy No.2 Ground.

Justin Greaves made 25 and was the only other West Indies Under-19 batsman to pass 20, as the Caribbean side, hastily assembled for the series, crumbled under the steady, if not spectacular bowling of their opponents.

West Indies Under-19s now trail 0-1 in the three-match series, with the second youth ODI scheduled on Tuesday at the GCA No.1 Ground.

Justin Greaves captured three wickets for 41 runs from 10 overs, and John Campbell took three for 50 from eight overs to be the most successful West Indies bowlers, as Australia Under-19s, choosing to bat, reached 240 for nine from their 50 overs.

Greaves, Campbell, and the rest of the West Indies Under-19s’ bowlers had no answer however, for Bancroft, whose 123 from 126 balls included 13 fours and two sixes.

West Indies Under-19s then lost Campbell cheaply in their chase, but Keiron Joseph joined Brathwaite and steadied the innings before he was run out for 10.

Runs then came at a trickle for the Caribbean side, and with the mounting pressure, wickets continued to tumble with Brathwaite falling late in the innings, when he was trapped lbw by right-arm medium-pacer Corey McMahon to genuinely end West Indies Under-19s’ chances.

Earlier, Jerome Jones made the early breakthrough for West Indies Under-19s, when he held return catch to dismiss opener James Peirson, the Aussie wicketkeeper/batsman, for eight.

But the West Indies Under-19s were put on their heels, when Bancroft dominated a second wicket stand of 91 with Nick Stevens, whose 25 occupied 69 balls.

When Greaves had Bancroft caught in the outfield, Australia were 195 for five, and Meyrick Buchanan hit 31 to boost the Aussies’ total.

AUSTRALIA UNDER-19s (maximum 50 overs)
C. Bancroft c Nelson b Greaves 123
+J. Peirson c and b Jones 8
N. Stevens c Alleyne b Davis 25
*S. Gotch st Etwaroo b Campbell 13
K. Patterson st Etwaroo b Nelson 2
M. Buchanan c Jones b Greaves 31
S. Truloff lbw b Campbell 10
A. Agar c Brathwaite b Campbell 7
T. Scott not out 3
J. Paris b Greaves 2
C. McMahon not out 1
Extras (lb4, w11) 15
TOTAL (9 wkts, 50 overs) 240
J. Judd did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-108, 3-151, 4-158, 5-195, 6-221, 7-229, 8-235, 9-238
Bowling: Greaves 10-1-41-3, Jones 5-1-15-1, Davis 10-1-28-1, Mayers 7-0-48-0, Nelson 10-0-54-1, Campbell 8-0-50-3

WEST INDIES UNDER-19s (target: 241 off 50 overs)
*K. Brathwaite lbw b McMahon 74
J. Campbell c Stevens b Parris 4
Keiron Joseph run out (Buchanan) 10
A. Alleyne c Patterson b Judd 6
A. Saunders run out (Bancroft) 1
D. Davis c wkpr Peirson b Judd 8
K. Mayers lbw b McMahon 5
B. Christmas c Stevens b Buchanan 2
J. Greaves c Judd b Buchanan 25
+S. Etwaroo c +Peirson b Paris 13
D. Nelson not out 9
Extras (lb5, w14, nb1) 20
TOTAL (all out, 44.1 overs) 177
J. Jones did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-40, 3-55, 4-70, 5-91, 6-102, 7-115, 8-130, 9-153
Bowling: Paris 10-2-34-2, Scott 4-0-20-0, Agar 10-3-26-0, Judd 9-0-45-2, McMahon 7-1-34-2, Buchanan 4.1-0-13-2