Jamaica’s young cricketers capped off their campaign in the West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championship with a commanding 10-wicket win over the Windward Islands in the final round at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua. The dominant performance, which saw Jamaica chase down the modest target of 87 without losing a wicket, helped them finish in 4th place in the competition, with 16.2 points.
The Windward Islands, who won the toss and elected to bat, were dismissed cheaply for just 86 in 26 overs. Only Jamie Wickham managed to offer any resistance, top-scoring with 42 runs. Kelan Christmas was the only other batter to reach double figures, contributing 10 runs to the total.
Jamaica’s bowlers were in superb form, with Andrew Lloyd leading the charge. Lloyd was the standout performer, taking 4 wickets for 25 runs, while Eckoney Robinson (2 for 16), Raheim Livingston (2 for 22), and Wayne Plummer (2 for 18) also made valuable contributions, ensuring the Windwards were unable to build any significant partnerships.
In response, Jamaica’s openers, Luwain Pryce (32) and Rajae McGeachy (30), made light work of the chase. The pair guided their team to victory without loss, reaching 87 in just 12.2 overs to seal a comprehensive win and wrap up their campaign on a high.
Meanwhile, across at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Barbados emerged as the West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championship winners after defeating Guyana by 45 runs in the top-of-the-table clash. Barbados, who remained unbeaten throughout the competition, secured their fifth consecutive victory of the tournament and claimed the title with 27.4 points.
Barbados won the toss and opted to bat, posting a competitive total of 208 for 8 in their 50 overs. Seth Smith top-scored with 47, while Justin Parris added 38 runs to give the Bajans a solid platform. Reyaz Latif was the standout bowler for Guyana, claiming 3 wickets for 31 runs.
In response, Guyana was restricted to 160 runs despite a valiant effort from Brandon Henry, who scored an even 50. Asher Branford was the star with the ball for Barbados, taking 3 wickets for 19 runs, while Joshua Thompson and Rajeev Parsaram chipped in with 2 wickets each to ensure a comfortable victory for the Barbadian side.
Over at the Antigua Recreation Ground, Trinidad and Tobago defeated the Leeward Islands by 6 wickets to finish in second place with 19.4 points. The Leeward Islands were bowled out for just 92, and Trinidad and Tobago successfully chased down the target, finishing on 93 for 4 to seal their victory.
The final standings saw Barbados in first place, followed by Trinidad and Tobago in second, and Guyana in third with 18.6 points.
