One-sided affairs mark opening round of CWI U19 Championship

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):
Defending champions Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Leeward Islands began this year’s Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 50-over Championship with big victories on Saturday.
While Barbados and the Leeward Islands romped to comfortable wins over the Windward Islands and Jamaica, respectively, T&T were made to fight before getting over Guyana.
At Liberta Sports Club, Trinidad and Tobago overcame a woeful batting performance to register an impressive 24-run victory over Guyana.
After being sent in, T&T could only muster 167 in 40.3 overs, thanks mainly to a fighting half-century by Christian Lall.
Daron Dhanraj, Amrit Pittiman and Daniel Holder then grabbed three wickets apiece to bowl out Guyana for 143 in 34.3 overs.
At Coolidge Cricket Ground, half-centuries from opener Tanez Francis and captain Matthew Miller carried Leeward Islands to a comprehensive 120-run win over Jamaica.
Francis top-scored with 82 off 98 balls, inclusive of 11 boundaries, while Miller hit 72 off 78 balls, with four fours and three sixes, to propel their side to a formidable 275 for seven in their 50 overs after electing to bat first.
Jamaica never mounted a serious challenge to the total in their run chase and were eventually dismissed for 155 in 35.5 overs.
At Bethesda Sports Ground, Barbados produced a record-breaking batting performance on their way to thrashing the Windward Islands by 119 runs.
Jordan Graham, Kemar Dixon, and Gadson Bowens all scored half centuries, while R’Jai Gittens smashed 49 off just 16 balls, to see the defending champions post a mammoth 392 for nine in their 50 overs, the highest-ever total in the tournament’s history.
Their total surpassed the previous highest total of 374 for six, which ironically was scored by Windward Islands against Barbados in the 2014-2015 season.
The Windward Islands did make a contest of their chase, but lost wickets at key intervals to eventually finish on 273 for seven in 50 overs.