BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, (CMC) – USA-1 and Barbados seem destined to meet in the finals of the Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 50-over Championships, as they both recorded victories in Friday’s penultimate preliminary round of matches.
Unbeaten USA defeated Leeward Islands by five wickets while Barbados edged past the Windward Islands by 17 runs in low scoring affairs.
Meanwhile, Guyana rattled off their second successive win, while Jamaica thrashed Trinidad and Tobago.
At Elquemedo Willett Park: USA-1 made it six wins out of six despite a less than impressive batting display in their win over the Leeward Islands.
Spinner Ansh Rai and medium pacer Adnit Jhamb tore through the Leeward Island’s middle and lower order to help dismiss them for 102 in 28.5 overs.
The Leeward Islands never recovered after losing four wickets for 27 runs to slump to 68 for six in the 20th over.
Four batsmen got into double figures, but none reached 20, with Rai (4-22) and Jhamb (3-14) causing most of the damage.
Amrinder Gill then hit an unbeaten half century as USA-1 stumbled to 103 for five in 23.4 overs.
Gill ended on 55 not out off 75 balls with eight boundaries, and together with Nitish Sudini, who made 31, guided their team to safety following a rare batting let down by the top order.

At St Paul’s Sports Complex: Pacers Jakeem Pollard and Shaquan Belle took four wickets apiece to bowl Barbados to victory over the Windward Islands.
Their bowling heroics were necessary after the defending champions were bowled out for 142 in 43.5 overs after electing to bat first.
Belle turned in a fine all-around effort by top scoring with 25, while opener Zachary Carter made 24 in an otherwise disappointing display.

Barbados’ last wicket pair of Pollard and R’Jai Gittens added 28 valuable runs after they came together with the score 114 for nine.
For the Windward Islands, Isaiah Jones took 4-20, Kirsten Murray 3-30 and Kirt Murray 2-22.
Kirsten Murray then returned to hit a defiant 57 from 61 balls batting at number seven, but it wasn’t enough as the Windward Islands could only muster 125 in 29.2 overs.
Pollard and Belle accounted for the first six wickets to fall, to see the Windward Islands collapse to 30 for six.
Murray and Devonte McDowall, who made 23, then tried to revive the innings in a 56-run partnership for the seventh wicket, but their efforts came up just short.
Pollard ended with figures of 4-36, while Belle grabbed 4-41, as Barbados bounced back from their fifth-round loss to USA-1.
At Conaree Sports Club: David Dewar and Kev’Aundre Virgo both scored half centuries to propel Jamaica to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Trinidad and Tobago.
Dewar hit an unbeaten 55 from 54 balls with five fours and two sixes and opener Virgo made a patient 51 from 90 balls before retiring hurt, as Jamaica easily overhauled T&T’s total of 159, finishing on 162 for three in 35.3 overs.
Virgo, along with Tyriek Bryan, who made 35, added 80 runs for the opening wicket to put Jamaica on track for victory.
And when Jamaica lost three wickets in quick succession to slip to 87 for three, Dewar and Nicoli McKenzie, who scored an unbeaten 12, ensured there would be no further losses.
Earlier, several T&T batsmen got starts but failed to carry on.
Five batsmen scored more than 20, but none made more than 25, as Jamaica struck at crucial times to halt their momentum.
Left-arm pacer Vitel Lawes led the way for Jamaica with figures of 4-28, Roshawn McKenzie took 2-10 and Nicoli McKenzie 2-30.
At St Mary’s Park: After a horrid start to the tournament, Guyana produced their best performance to date on their way to dominating USA-2 by nine wickets.
Rahul Basu hit an unbeaten 45 and opener Ansh Bhoje made 35, but USA-2 were undone by leg spinner Riyad Latiff and Nityanand Mathura to be eventually dismissed for 180 in 45 overs.

Latiff ended with the impressive figures of 6-23 from eight overs, while Mathura collected 4-44, as USA-2 lost their last six wickets for 41 runs.
Romeo Deonarine then led the way for Guyana with a spectacular, unbeaten century to see his side stroll to 181 for one in just 32.4 overs.
Deonarine finished on 102 not out from 113 balls, inclusive of 11 fours and one six, and shared an opening partnership of 122 with Rampersaud Ramnauth, who made 38.