Title hopes dashed as Jamaica collapse to Guyana
Hosts Jamaica saw their title hopes dashed after crashing to a four-run defeat to Guyana in their crucial Regional Under-15 cricket match at Port Esquivel Sports Club yesterday.
Scores in the match: Guyana 181-6 from their 50 overs; Jamaica 177-8 from 50 overs.
Guyana, with their fourth consecutive win, now move to 24 points atop the standings after the penultimate round of games. Jamaica remain on 12 points.
Barbados, who started the day on 12 points, were expected to pick up maximum points against bottom-placed and pointless Leeward Islands in their game at Windalco cricket ground.
In another game, Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands, with six points each entering yesterday’s contest, were down for a contest at Chedwin Park.
The fifth and final round will be played tomorrow with Jamaica taking on the Windward Islands and Guyana playing Barbados in what is expected to be the title decider.
Jamaica started the day on six points adrift of Guyana and needed to win to stay alive in the tournament. They won the toss and asked Guyana to bat and the visitors piled up 181-6 from their 50 overs on the back of a splendid 72 from captain Zeynul Ramsammy.
Having lost two quick wickets at 7-2, Ramsammy entered the fray and held the innings together with five measured fours from 137 balls. He got good support from Romel Datterdeen who hit three sixes and a four in his 43 not out from 46 balls. Mavendra Dindyel chipped in with 33.
Sherwayne Thomas took 3-33 and Javon Nembhard captured 2-15 as Jamaica restricted Guyana to a more than reasonable score.
Jamaica started tentatively, but sure, as openers Jordan Johnson and Adrian Weir put on 111 for the first wicket before the stocky Weir was bowled for 48. Weir, who struggled to run singles, hit four fours and two sixes from 96 balls.
Losing coach Phillip Service said it was a learning experience for his youngsters.
“We restricted them to 181 and we thought it was a competitive score. But at the same time we could have restricted them to another 20 runs (fewer) than that and that became crucial in the end,” Service pointed out.
Guyana’s coach Winston Smith could not contain his joy, noting that he dropped a pace bowler to facilitate another spinner, which worked wonders.
“We realise in the Caribbean that they couldn’t play good spin because we knew the condition wouldn’t be conducive for spinners,” said Smith.