T&T Under-17 cricketers opened the defence of their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional U-17 title, with a crushing win over Barbados in the opening round at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba.
Led by brilliant batting from Leonardo Julien and excellent spin bowling from Samir Ali, the T&T boys ran away winners by 154 runs.
Batting first, the two-time defending champions got 83 from Julien to post a competitive 250 for eight off their 50 overs. Barbados had no answers to the T&T slow bowlers and Ali picked up 3/13, as they crashed to 96 all out.
Julien, the Merryboys left-hander, was in fine form from the moment he went to the crease and took charge of proceedings. He and Tariq Mohammed posted 60 runs for the second wicket before Mohammed left for 31.
Julien battled on and posted his half-century. He found an able partner in Rivaldo Ramlogan and they shared 82 runs for the fifth wicket. When Julien departed for 83, he had faced only 115 balls in 158 minutes of batting, striking six fours and three sixes.
Ramlogan scored a quickfire 57 off just 49 balls with two fours and three sixes. Towards the end, Isaiah Gomez made 22 not out from 17 balls. The pick of the bowlers for Barbados was Mathew Forde who took 2/37.
When Barbados batted it failed to forge any meaningful partnerships and this crippled its reply. Opener Rashawn Worrell hit a top score of 19. Apart from Ali, fellow spinner Anderson Mahase took 2/25. Ramlogan, Jaden Seales, Gomez and Nicholas Ali each took one wicket.
In other matches, the Leeward Islands defeated Jamaica by one wicket at Gilbert Park in California. Batting first the Jamaicans made only 137 all out and the Leewards, although losing wickets regularly, made 139/9 in reply.
Across at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, Windward Islands signed on with a thumping 59-run victory over Guyana. The Windwards made 284/8 and Guyana stumbled to 225 all out.
CWI REGIONAL U-17 SCORES
At Lara Academy: T&T vs Barbados
T&T 250/8 (50) (Leonardo Julien 83, Rivaldo Ramlogan 57, Isaiah Gomez 22 no, Mathew Forde 2/37, Alexandre Goodridge 2/45) vs Barbados 96 all out (29.4) (Samir Ali 3/13, Anderson Mahase 2/25) - T&T won by 154 runs.
At Gilbert Park: Jamaica vs Leeward Islands
Jamaica 137 (43.1 overs) vs Leewards 139/9 (49.5 overs). Leewards won by one wicket.
At the NCC: Windward Islands vs Guyana
Windwards 284/8 (50 overs) vs Guyana 225 (47.5 overs). Windwards won by 59 runs
