Suriname pip Argentina for ICC Americas U/19 crown

The victorious Suriname team

It was my intention to cover the ICC Americas Pepsi Under-19 Division 2 tournament in its entirety (August 14-16), but my chivalrous spirit rendered me immobile for the three days and consigned me to collecting scores whenever I could. I did however see enough on the opening day to realize that the battle for top honours would be between eventual winners Suriname and Argentina. The other teams, hosts the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, were evidently in the developmental stages of their youth programs.

In the double round tournament Argentina and Suriname split their matches and so it came down to which one of them could record the biggest margins of victories on the other two. Given the inexperience of the Bahamian side, many of whom were playing the game for the first time; it came as no surprise that they felt the brunt of the Argentine and Surinamese efforts to claim top spot. The Argentines took first crack when on the first day they amassed 260 for four from their allotted 20 overs at the Haynes Oval. Tomas Marinozzi, later named the tournament’s Best Wicket-keeper, slammed 109 before Lorenzo Altuzarra claimed three wickets to help restrict the Bahamas to 46 when their overs ran out.

                     

Going into the final matches on the third afternoon Argentina led Suriname on net run rate (NRR) but the Surinamese would have fancied their chances since they were playing the Bahamas. They duly won the toss at Windsor Park and chose to bat, amassing 232 for five from their 20 overs. Joshua Holder, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, slammed an unbeaten 129 which came from 71 balls and included 10 fours and seven sixes. The hapless Bahamians, who failed to win a game in the tournament, were dismissed for their lowest total, 19, to lose by 213 runs. Xavier Smith claimed five wickets for seven runs from four overs. Over at the Haynes Oval Cayman could only muster 53 after being asked to bat first. Argentina tried valiantly to boost their (NRR) but were stretched out before reaching their target in seven overs. Thus Suriname’s huge victory pushed their NRR past Argentina’s, giving them the title and promotion to Division 1.

Holder was also named Best Batsman for scoring 219 runs and Best Bowler for taking 13 wickets – including five for nine in the second round game against the Cayman Islands.

Bahamas coach Gregory Taylor Jr. explained after the tournament that although the results were disappointing it was a good experience for his charges who were being put in match situations for the first time. He was however optimistic that they would improve given the plans he has in store. The Bahamas team, which included 11-year-old Cody Dean Jnr. only managed to past 50 twice with the highest score being 58 in the second round against the Cayman Islands. Skipper Nandkhumar Jagroo, who incidentally won the only Man-of-the-Match award for the Bahamas, is also the only player that consistently appears in the local league but, according to Taylor, all that is going to change.

 Bahamas coach Gregory Taylor Jr. 

Below are some more videos capturing the final moments of the second Suriname/Argentina game at Haynes Oval on Friday afternoon

 Argentina's Lorenzo Altuzarra bowls Suriname's Joshua Holder around his legs

 

Altuzarra and Xaviee Smith involved in some byplay before the Argentine gets his man

And finally the winning run!

Bahamas name team for ICC Americans U19

Hosts the Bahamas have named their team for the Pepsi ICC Americans Under-19 Division Two championship which begins Thursday in Nassau. Selected after weeks of preparation under coach Gregory Taylor Jnr., the 14-man will be captained by 16-year-old left-arm spinner Nankhumar Jagroo and consists of six batsmen, four specialist bowlers, three all-rounders, and a wicket-keeper/batsman. Two of the players are from the country’s second city – Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Nankhumar Jagroo

The Bahamas will be vying for championship honours alongside the Cayman Islands, Suriname and Argentina at the Haynes Oval and Windsor Park with the 20-over matches being played simultaneously, from 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  All of the home team’s first round games are set for the Haynes Oval, beginning with the Cayman Islands on Thursday at 10:00. Argentina are next in the afternoon and Suriname on Friday morning. Conversely, all their second round games take place at Windsor Park where they oppose the Caymans at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Argentina on Saturday morning, and Suriname in the afternoon. 

Team Bahamas: Nandkumar Jagroo (captain), Cody Dean Jr., Ahjlon Dames, Kapry Kemp Jr., Chavez Mcphee, Marcus Bowe, Sharano Kemp, Stephen Fox, Lee Melville Jr., Anthony Mcfarlane, Kaynaan Longley (Freeport), Raphael Simon (Freeport), Xavier Rhone (wicket-keeper), and Munir Gharbhan. Coach: Gregory Taylor Jnr.

TMP Pacesetters are BCA 40-over champs!

The victorious TMP Pacesetters

The Medical Pavilion Pacesetters are champions of the Bahamas Cricket Association (BCA) 40-over competition. They achieved this feat with an emphatic 141-run defeat of St. Albans in the final on Saturday at the Haynes Oval on Bay Street.

Pacesetters’ triumph was engineered by a sterling all-round performance from Ryan Tappin who hit 88 in his team’s 278 for seven in 40 overs, and captured four wickets for 34 runs as St. Albans fell for 136 in 27. Tappin was supported in the batting department by Renford Davson (51), Donovan Matthews (45), Jonathon Barry (43), and skipper Albert Peters (29), after Pacesetters won the toss and chose to bat. Davson and Matthews posted 100 in 17 overs for the first wicket while the others ensured a solid scoring rate was maintained for the remainder of the innings. For St. Albans medium pacer Leonard Dorsett claimed two wickets for 33 runs from four overs, while left-arm spinner Nankhumar Jagroo had two for 78 from eight. 

St. Albans’ innings was highlighted by Andre Dos Ramos’ 67. His only support however, came from Brent Fullerton who scored 22 in a third wicket stand of 44. Tappin, whose leg-breaks undermined St. Albans’ batting was supported by medium-pacers Lee Melville and Barry who captured two for 40 and two for 45 respectively. 

Saturday’s win means Pacesetters, in their first season in the league, are now double champions after capturing the BCA’s T20 title earlier this year.

Pacesetters, St. Alban to meet in BCA final

Pacesetters and St. Alban will meet in the final of the Bahamas Cricket Association’s (BCA) 40-over competition after winning their respective semi-finals over the weekend. Pacesetters cruised past Westerns by four wickets on Saturday, while St. Alban upset highly favoured St. Agnes by 53 runs on Sunday, at Haynes Oval on Bay Street.

Andrew Nash

Pacesetters’ win was accomplished despite a swashbuckling century by Westerns’ Andrew Nash, who slammed seven sixes and nine fours in 104 as his team posted a modest 210 in 33.1 of the allotted 40 overs. His only support came from Orlando Clarke who made 37 in the face of some controlled bowling, led by Lee Melville with three for 38. Mark Levy also claimed three for 49 and Ryan Tappin two for 13. Pacesetters’ reply of 213 for six in 32.1 overs was highlighted by Kevin Surujlal’s 71, and contributions of 29 each from skipper Albert Peters and Jonathon Barry. For Westerns, Nash claimed two for 29, Wycliff Atkinson two for 42 and Gregory Irving two for 49.

Sunday’s game was highlighted by outstanding performances from two teenagers on opposing sides. Eighteen-year-old off-spinner Earl Thomas III grabbed five wickets for 41 runs as St. Agnes dismissed St. Alban for 217 in 38.4 overs. However, 16-year-old left-arm spinner Nankhumar Jagroo responded with four for 51 as St. Agnes, batting one man short, ended on 164 for nine in 32 overs. In the St. Alban innings Julio Jamieson hit 52, Andre Dos Ramos 42 and Brent Fullerton 29 in the face of Thomas’ attack. John Dolphin supported Thomas with two for 37. When St. Agnes batted Turan Brown led the way with 46 while Dolphin made 44 and Jagnauth Jagroo 25. Nankhumar Jagroo, who dismissed both his cousin and Dolphin, was well supported by Dos Ramos with three for 25.

The final is set for Saturday at the same venue. Starting time is 12:00 noon.

Pacesetters, Westerns score easy wins in BCA 40-over

Pacesetters and Westerns recorded easy wins as the Bahamas Cricket Association’s (BCA) 40-over league continued over the weekend at the Haynes Oval on Bay Street, New Providence. Pacesetters beat St. Albans by six wickets on Saturday, while Westerns defeated Police by 10 wickets on Sunday.

Brent Fullerton

Pacesetters, rebounding from two consecutive losses, restricted a 10-man St. Albans to 95 for nine in 19.2 overs with only Andre Dos Ramos (32) showing any resistance to Kevin Surujlall’s five for nine and Lee Melville’s two for 17. Pacesetters replied with 96 for four in 17.1 overs. Donovan Matthews top-scored with 38 while Jonathon Barry made 28 not out, and Brent Fullerton claimed three wickets for 25 runs. 

On Sunday, Police crashed to 46 for nine in 14.3 overs. Andrew Nash claimed four wickets for 25 runs and Hamilton Gilliard three for 17. Westerns replied with 50 without loss in 5.1 overs. The not out batsmen were O. Clarke and L. Townsend on 24 and 23 respectively. 

Meanwhile, in the results of other recent matches, St. Agnes beat Westerns by six wickets on June 15; St. Albans beat Westerns by 139 runs on June 6; and St. Agnes beat Pacesetters by eight wickets on May 18. 

On June 15, Westerns were restricted to 156 for nine in 26.2 overs. Hamilton Gilliard made 64 while Jagdesh Jagroo claimed three for 12; his brother Bhumeshwar Jagroo two for 52; and John Dolphin two for 32. In reply St. Agnes reached 158 for 4 from 31.2 overs with Gary Braithwaite hitting 44, Dolphin 39, and Earl Thomas 30. Wycliffe Atkinson claimed two for 21. 

On June 6, St. Albans amassed 342 for nine in their quota of 40 overs. Julio Jameson led the way with 95, while Andre Dos Ramos contributed 72, G. Ganpat 34, and Brent Fullerton 34. Andrew Nash claimed four for 40. Westerns could only muster 203 for eight from 27.5 overs in their reply, mainly through the efforts of Fullerton who captured five wickets for 34 runs. The only resistance came from openers Gregory Irving and Gilliard who made 92 and 27 respectively. 

On May 18, Pacesetters struggled to 149 for nine in 25.4 overs. Surujlall made 36, while Bhumeshwar Jagroo claimed four for 29 and Dolphin two for 21. St. Agnes replied with 151 for two in 26.5. Dolphin and Turan Browne remained unbeaten on 70 and 71 respectively.