Leeward Islands top standings after second win

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – With just two rounds of matches remaining in the Cricket West Indies Under-17 Championships, the Leeward Islands sit atop the standings following the completion of the third round of matches on Saturday.
The Leewards defeated the Windward Islands by two wickets, their second win in three games, to climb to 13.2 points.
Guyana, which also has two wins, is close behind in second place on 12.9 points after knocking over the defending champions Trinidad and Tobago by three wickets.
Barbados is a distant third with eight points, while Trinidad by virtue of having a better net run rate then the Windward Islands is fourth, with both teams sitting on 7.2 points.
Jamaica, which is yet to win a match is sixth on 1.4 points.
In the latest round of matches, led by a three-wicket haul from Taeiem Tonge and a solid 48 by Jahiem Africa, the Leewards managed to overhaul the Windwards’ total of 146-9, finishing on 150 for eight.
Tonge finished with the impressive figures of 3-34, to help restrict the opponents who were sent into bat after losing the toss.
Jaylen Francis and Antonio Fernandes also chipped in, each claiming two wickets.
Keygan Arnold was the top-scorer for the Windwards, blasting 37 from 34 balls batting down the order.
Arnold, the man-of-the-match, returned to grab three wickets, but it wasn’t enough to prevent his side from losing.
While Africa was the mainstay of the Leeward Islands’ innings, he got good support from Demari Benta (39) and Kenny Sutton who made 27.
In a low-scoring affair, Guyana skittled out Trinidad for only 65 before limping to 66-7, to hand the two-time defending champions their first loss of the competition.
They were three wickets apiece for Dwaine Dick and Sheldon Charles as no Trinidad batsman made 15.
In their turn at the crease, Guyana found themselves precariously placed at 50-7, before the pair of Nigel Deodat and Charles carried them to safety.
Sachin Singh top-scored with 21, while Nicholas Ali and Sameer Ali both grabbed three wickets for Trinidad.
Barbados picked up their first win of the tournament by pummeling the hapless Jamaicans.
Batting first, Razaq Williams’ 83 helped to propel Jamaica to a respectable 204-9 from their 50 overs.
Ramon Simmonds (2-30), Rivaldo Clarke (2-45) and Jamal Leacock 2-40, were the leading bowlers for Barbados.
Barbados, however, made light work of the target, racing to 205-4 in 44.3 overs.
Opener Rashawn Worrell made 69, Rivaldo Clarke stroked an unbeaten 55 and Antonio Morris scored 37 to help lead last year’s runner-ups to a comfortable victory.