… Guyanese Yadram and Paul impress

NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) – Windward Islands Volcanoes survived a scare before posting a 21-run victory over West Indies Under-19s in their opening game of the Regional Super50 here yesterday.
Sent in at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Volcanoes were dismissed for 221 off 46.2 overs, with Sunil Ambris top-scoring with 54 and captain Liam Sebastien getting 31.
Guyana’s seamer Keemo Paul was outstanding, finishing with four for 31 while left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop picked up two for 34.

In reply, the Windies Under-19s were struggling on 34 for three before recovering through Guyana’s Bhaskar Yadram’s 52, while Kirstan Kallicharan struck 25 and Keemo Paul, 22.
But seamer Mervin Matthew tore through the innings to finish with four for 38 while left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson supported with two for 33.
Entering the contest as heavy favourites, Volcanoes failed to get a grip of the game and struggled from the outset, sliding to 55 for four.
However, two partnerships then bolstered the innings with Ambris at the centre of both. The 23-year-old right-hander faced 84 balls and counted three fours and a six, adding 70 for the fifth wicket with Sebastien and a further 41 for the seventh wicket with Kyle Mayers whose 28 came from 38 balls.
However, once Ambris perished, Volcanoes lost their last four wickets for 54 runs.
In reply, the Under-19s were in early trouble when they lost openers Shian Brathwaite (2) and Emmanuel Stewart (3) along with Alick Athanaze (1), cheaply.
But Yadram struck seven fours in an 80-ball knock, posting 45 for the fourth wicket with Shamar Springer who made 13, to revive the innings.
Man-of-the-Match Matthew made key strikes, however, reducing the innings to 161 for eight before Joshua Bishop carved out a breezy unbeaten 22 off 24 balls, in a 36-run, ninth-wicket stand with Te-Shawn Alleyne (11), to rattle Volcanoes near the end.

WINDWARD ISLANDS Volcanoes innings
J. Charles c wkp. Stewart b McCoy 12
D. Smith c wkp. Stewart b Springer 8
T. Theophile c Athanaze b Paul 10
A. Fletcher c McCoy b Paul 4
S. Ambris c Springer b Bishop 54
L. Sebastien c wkp. Stewart b Yadram 31
D. Sammy c Yadram b Bishop 1
K. Mayers b Paul 28
S. Shillingford not out 19
D. Johnson c McCoy b Alleyne 26
M. Matthew c wkp. Stewart b Paul 0
Extras: (lb-6, b-22) 28
Total: (all out, 46.2 overs) 221
Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-30, 3-45, 4-55, 5-55, 6-126, 7-167, 8-189, 9-221.
Bowling: McCoy 5-0-36-1 (w-5), Springer 5-1-17-1 (w-7), Paul 8.2-1-31-4 (w-3), Alleyne 9-0-52-1 (w-2), Bishop 10-0-34-2, Yadram 7-0-31-1 (w-1), Patrick 2-0-14-0.
WEST INDIES UNDER-19s innings
S. Brathwaite c Sammy b Johnson 2
E. Stewart c wkp. Fletcher b Matthew 3
B. Yadram lbw b Shillingford 52
A. Athanaze c wkp. Fletcher b Mayers 1
S. Springer c wkp. Fletcher b Sebastien 13
K. Kallicharan c wkp. Fletcher b Johnson 25
K. Paul c wkp. Fletcher b Matthew 22
M. Patrick c Hodge b Matthew 15
J. Bishop not out 22
T. Alleyne b Matthew 11
O. McCoy not out 2
Extras: (b-8, nb-3, w-21) 32
Total: (9 wkts, 50 overs) 200
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-22, 3-34, 4-79, 5-89, 6-129, 7-147, 8-161, 9-197.
Bowling: Sammy 5-0-21-0 (w-2), Johnson 10-0-33-2 (w-6), Mayers 7-1-28-1 (w-2), Matthew 10-2-38-4 (w-6), Shillingford 10-1-34-1 (w-1, nb-1), Sebastien 8-0-38-1.
Volcanoes 4, Under-19s 0.