BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC):
Barbados handed Jamaica their first defeat to claim their semi-final spot in the TCL West Indies Under-19 Cricket Challenge Limited Overs Series yesterday.
In a pulsating game played at the Edgar Gilbert Sports Complex, Barbados, requiring 209 runs for victory, achieved their target when Shamar Cooke smashed the first ball of the final over to the long-on boundary for four.
Barbados will now face Guyana in their semi-final clash today.
The main architects of the Barbados win were openers Rashidi Boucher (92) and Kyle Corbin (51) who got their team off to a tremendous start, posting a first-wicket partnership of 105 runs in 114 deliveries on a lightning fast outfield.
Final wicket
Boucher, who had strokes of luck on 34, 62 and 69, batted for just over three hours and was the final wicket to fall with six runs needed from seven balls. In all, he faced 156 balls and struck 11 fours with two sweetly timed sixes.
Corbin played a flawless innings until he was lbw to Christopher Watson playing back to a faster delivery. He was on strike for 55 balls and clouted four boundaries. Barbados appeared to be cruising comfortably towards their target, scoring at well over five runs per over until the introduction of the Jamaican spinners.
The inability of the batsmen to use their feet smartly pegged them back sharply and near panic set in as the asking rate shot up. Apart from the openers, only Simon Steel (21) and Renaldo Arthur (17) were able to register double figures.
Jamaica, who rested three of their consistent performers, would have been disappointed with their fielding display as they dropped no less than five relatively easy catches.
JAMAICA
| H. Miller lbw b Ashley Nurse | 69 |
| C. Jones run out | 33 |
| N. Bonner c Ashley Nurse b Cooke | 32 |
| R. Weir c Ashley Nurse b Cooke | 16 |
| +D. Green c Corbin b Steel | 21 |
| A. Lindsay b Brooks | 6 |
| M. Hoilette b Steel | 12 |
| J. Merchant c and b Steel | 4 |
| A. Thompson c Ashley Nurse b Brooks | 0 |
| G. Garvey not out | 0 |
| C. Watson c Brooks b Steel | 0 |
| Extras (nb4, w11) | 15 |
| TOTAL (all out, 46.2 overs) | 208 |
Fall of wickets: 1-106, 2-144, 3-146, 4-184, 5-188, 6-194, 7-204, 8-207, 9-207, 10-208 Bowling: Stuart 4-0-30-0, Hoyte 6-0-27-0, Stefan Gooding 2-0-15-0, Cooke 10-1-36-2, Nurse 7-0-22-1, Brooks 10-0-52-2, Steel 7.2-0-26-4. BARBADOS R. Boucher c Bonner b Merchant | 92 |
| K. Corbin lbw b Watson | 51 |
| R. Arthur c wkp Lindsay b Bonner | 17 |
| S. Brooks c wkp Lindsay b Bonner | 5 |
| K. Hope lbw Hoilette | 0 |
| S. Steel run out | 21 |
| S. Cooke not out | 5 |
| A. Nurse not out | 4 |
| Extras (b 2, lb 1, nb 5, w 8) | 16 |
| TOTAL (6 wkts, 49.1 overs) | 211 |
Fall of wickets: 1-105, 2-152, 3-167, 4-167, 5-200, 6-203. Bowling: Thompson 4-0-32-0, Garvey 1-0-13-0, Green 3-0-21-0, Christopher 8-0-29-1, Merchant 9-2-35-1, Hoilette 10-1-30-1, Bonner 10-1-32-2, Jones 4.1-0-16-0. Result: Barbados won by five wickets. Points: Barbados 4, Jamaica 0. Toss: Barbados. Umpires: Luther Kelly, Wycliffe Mitcham.
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