Match 6 of Youth ODI Series
Venue: Polo Farm Sports Club, Canterbury
Toss: West Indies U19s won toss and elected to bat
Result: West Indies U19s won by 17 runs
Opener Matthew Nandu and leg-spinner Vasant Singh produced key performances with bat and ball to propel West Indies Rising Stars U19s to victory in the final match against England Young Lions on Friday. The left-handed Nandu topscored with 80 – which came off 120 balls, in 2 ½ hours with nine boundaries – to be the mainstay of the West Indies total of 230 off their 50 overs. Singh, playing his second match, then took over with the ball to turn the match in his team’s favour. The 17-year-old returned impressive figures of 4-51 off his 10 overs as the home side were bowled out for 213 off 45 overs.
Nandu shared in a crucial 78-run third-wicket partnership with Ackeem Auguste 25 (43 balls, 2×4). That alliance aided in setting up a platform for wicketkeeper-batsman Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 48 (69 balls, 5×4) to play a top cameo where he guided the tail. West Indies were at one stage 187-7 – but the last three wickets managed to put on some vital runs which made a huge difference.
This was Nandu’s second consecutive half-century following his innings of 51 in the fifth Youth ODI on Tuesday at the same venue. He ended as West Indies second highest run-maker with 162 (average 40.5). The leading scorer was West Indies middle-order batsman Teddy Bishop who made 271 runs (average 54.2) – including the only century of 133 in the third match victory.
In reply to West Indies target, England got off to a positive start posting their 50 without loss at four runs per over. Nandu bowling his off-breaks continued his excellent day on the field, getting the breakthrough first wicket in the 12th over when he bowed James Rew. He would later pick up another wicket to end with 2-35 off seven overs. Singh then stepped in and bowled unchanged from one end and ripped out the middle and lower order, as England collapsed to 177-9 in the 40th over. He was well assisted by the agile Bowen-Tuckett, who had two catches and two stumpings behind the stumps.
Isai Thorne, the 16-year-old fast bowler, went wicketless but ended the tour as the West Indies leading bowler. He picked up eight wickets (average 23) in the four matches he played.
-CWI
