CMC – WEST Indies Under-19 skipper Joshua Dorne led from the front with bat and ball as his side secured a tense three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Under-19s in the sixth Youth One Day International here on Friday.

Dorne, an off spinner, grabbed two wickets to be the pick of the bowlers, but Sri Lanka still posted a formidable 287 for six in their 50 overs after they were sent in at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

With the Windies languishing on 125 for five in their run chase, Dorne then hit a match winning 95 to stage a spectacular recovery that saw the home side reach 289 for seven with eight balls remaining in the contest.

The victory gave the West Indies an unassailable 4-2 lead in their best-of-seven series, with the final ODI to be played on Monday.

Needing a win to level the series, Sri Lanka were given the perfect start by openers Viran Chamuditha and Dimantha Mahavithana, who put on 114 for the first wicket.

Dorne broke the stand when he had the latter stumped for 49 and he also accounted for the second wicket to fall, that of Senuja Wekunagoda for 12, to leave the score 142 for two.

Chamuditha looked set on reaching three figures before Brendan Boodoo bowled him for 88 off 85 balls, adorned with 10 fours.

The Windies then snared three wickets for just 10 runs as Sri Lanka stumbled to 197 for five, but an unbeaten half century from Vimath Dinsara, who scored 58 off 57 balls with four sixes, propelled the visitors to a competitive total.

West Indies Under-19s found themselves under immediate pressure when opener Micah Greenidge was dismissed for a duck with the third ball of the innings.

Zachary Carter scored 31 in a partnership of 47 for the second wicket with Tyriek Bryan, but when he was dismissed by Sethmika Seneviratne for 31, Earshino Fontaine followed shortly after for just two, to see the Windies slip to 56 for three in the 14th over.

Bryan, who scored a patient 52 off 90 balls, then added 60 runs with Dorne before he became one of Vigneshwaran Akash’s three wickets and six runs later Boodoo was back in the pavilion after scoring six, to put Sri Lanka in control at 125 for five in the 30th over.

But Dorne and Jonathan van Lange frustrated the visitors’ bowlers during a partnership of 115 runs for the sixth wicket that changed the complexion of the match.

Van Lange was eventually caught and bowled by Akash for an even 50 off 43 balls, and Dorne fell five runs short of a deserved century with the Windies still requiring 27 runs for victory.

Shaquan Belle then put the finishing touches on an impressive fightback, scoring an unbeaten 21 off just 13 deliveries.