By Brij Parasnath in Trinidad & Tobago

West Indies youth player Kirstan Kallicharan slammed an attractive 87 and sparked Trinidad and Tobago to the West Indies Cricket Board Under-17 title when they defeated Barbados by 35 runs in their final encounter at the famous Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair, Port of Spain, yesterday.T&T maintained their unbeaten streak and regained the title they won in the inaugural series in 2013. Guyana also remained undefeated when they registered a convincing 60-run win over dethroned champions,Windward Islands at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva, just about the same time that the Trinidadians were celebrating at the Oval.
But Trinidad and Tobago,who started the match with 14.3 points ahead of Guyana on 14.1 points,secured the overall title with a slightly better point aggregate in the six-team round-robin series.
T&T collected four points for the outright victory,plus 0.3 for the three wickets by the medium pacers,while Guyana received four points for the outright win plus 0.1 bowling points for the one wicket by medium pacer Jones.
In the overall tally, Trinidad and Tobago emerged as the new champion with 20.6 points while Guyana finished as runner-up with 20.3 points.
After being sent in to bat first, Trinidad and Tobago responded to the challenge and amassed 238 for 5 in their allotted 50 overs. Skipper Kallicharan found his best form for the series and shared two important partnerships that propelled the home team to a challenging total. Together with left-handed opener Navin Bidaisee, who made 35, they added 69 for the third wicket.
T&T had lost two early wickets with the dismissals of Leonardo Francis for zero, caught Sian Brathwaite off the bowling of Jamali Lynch, who also prised out the prolific Cephas Cooper, adjudged LBW for two runs. Lynch had struck two crucial blows with the third ball of his first over and the second ball in his next over, and left T&T in some bother at 12 for 2 after 3.2 overs.
But skipper Kallicharan put his stamp on the match with positive strokeplay, and he then found an equally determined partner in Matthew Patrick ,who also found his best touch for the series. Together the added a further 105 for the fourth wicket stand that placed Trinidad and Tobago in charge at 186 for 5 after 44.1 overs. Matthew’s invaluable contribution included two sixes and two fours off 55 deliveries,before he was run out for 67.
Kallicharan was the main architect of the batting,and he stroked six fours off 141 balls,until he was the fifth wicket to fall at 228 for 5. Leonardo Julien was unbeaten on 21 when the innings closed at 238 for 5.
Kallicharan also had an economical spell of 6-1-21-1,to add to his match-winning 87 and was easily declared “Player of the Match”.
In reply, Barbados’ Brathwaite pair of Sian and Kian made a bold effort to create a major upset,but the Trinidadian bowlers combined to stall their plans,and bowled them out for 203 in the penultimate over. Sian Brathwaite was his team’s leading scorer with 85 while Kian made 27.
Guyana compiled the highest total of the series when they batted first and mustered 253 for 5 off 50 overs. Sachin Singh topscored with 78 while vice-captain Joshua Persaud made 77 and got support from Ashmead Nedd (33) and Kurt Lovell (26 not out). Urnell Thomas picked up three wickets for 51.
Windwards were dismissed for 193 in 44.2 overs with Micah Joseph 62, Tijourne Pope 45, and Johann Jerimiah 31, being the main scorers. Skipper Bhaskar Yadram was Guyana’s chief wicket-taker, claiming (5.2-1-16-3) and was helped by Kevin Umroa (8-1-40-2), Kevin Sinclair (6-1-11-1), Ashmead Nedd (7-0-17-1), J. Jones (9.3-1-50-1), and Alpheus Bookie (8.3-1-57-1), in the demolition job on the dethroned champs.
Joshua Persaud was voted “Player of the Match”.
Windwards finished third with 14.2 points, and were followed by Barbados on 14.0, Jamaica 7.3,and Leewards on 1.4.
Meanwhile, Jamaica defeated Leeward Islands by 69 runs at Gilbert Park, California,Couva. Jamaica managed 147 in 48.1 overs with skipper Nigel Palmer 42, Ricardo McIntosh 34, and Dorrel Thomas 31,being the main run-getters. Elroy Francis Jr took three wickets for 17, and Jerrilious Louis three for 27.
Leewards folded up for 78 all out in 21.1 overs. Andre Gayle (2/10), Roberto Simpson (3/27) and Christopher Green (2/21) did the damage.