Trinidad and Tobago's Under-17 cricketers started the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Men's Under-17 50-over Championships on a triumphant note on August 25 when they got a tight two-run win over Windward Islands in a rain-affected affair at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.
In a game reduced to 22 overs per side, TT got a respectable score of 128 for nine, before restricting the Windwards to 126 for six in a nervy finish.
In the final round of the preceding two-day championships on August 22, the Windwards got a big 115-run victory against TT after bowling them out under 100 in both innings.
The TT team showed an improvement in the 50-over meeting between the teams, though, and they got useful contributions with the bat from several players.
Joseph Mendoza top-scored for the hosts with 33, with Darrius Batoosingh (24), Renaldo Fournillier (24) and wicket-keeper Christian Lall (19) all chipping in nicely.
Three Windwards bowlers took two wickets apiece, with captain Theo Edward (two for eight) being the pick of the bowlers.
TT were firmly in the ascendancy with the ball as Windwards slipped to 58 for six by the end of the 14th over.
With 71 runs needed off the last 48 balls, the Windwards nearly pulled off a remarkable win as the middle-order pair of Jelani Joseph (22 not out) and Edmund Morancie (49 not out off 31 balls) put on an unbeaten 68 for the seventh wicket.
The visitors needed 18 off the last over which was bowled by Aaron Basant, and they looked to be in business when Morancie struck the first two balls for a four and a six. Basant didn't concede any more boundaries in the over, though, and he held his nerve to steer TT over the line in dramatic fashion.
Basant grabbed figures of two for 31, with Jordan Mohammed leading the attack with two for 18.
The hosts' match was the only fixture completed on August 25 as the match between Leeward Islands and Jamaica was abandoned without a ball being bowled, with the game between two-day champs Barbados and Guyana being called off after 26 overs.
TT will go after their second win when they take on Leewards from 9.30 am at Inshan Ali Park in Preysal on August 27.
Summarised scores:
TT - 128/9 from 22 overs (Joseph Mendoza 33, Darrius Batoosingh 24, Renaldo Fournillier 24; Theo Edward 2/8, Cody Fontenelle 2/15) vs WINDWARD ISLANDS - 126/6 from 22 overs (Edmund Morancie 49 not out, Jelani Joseph 22 not out, T Edward 18; Jordan Mohammed 2/18, Aaron Basant 2/31). TT won by two runs.
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