Members of Jamaica's victorious Under-19 cricket team (from left) Courtnay Allen, Patrick Harty and Brian Clarke celebrate Jamaica's four-wicket win over Barbados in their final TCL Group WICB U-19 one-day fixture at Sabina Park yesterday. The win gave Jamaica the regional double, having earlier won the three-day title. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Jamaica's Under-19 cricketers confirmed their status as the number one youth team in the region when they defeated Barbados by four wickets in their final TCL Group WICB U-19 one-day fixture at Sabina Park yesterday to lift the trophy and cop the coveted three-day, one-day double for the first time in the nation's history.
Faced with the task of defeating Barbados to put their name in the record books, Jamaica first restricted their opponents to a modest 163 off their allotted 50 overs, then reached their target with 3.3 overs remaining.
Fantastic feeling
"I don't know if I have the words to explain," said a happy André Coley, coach of Jamaica, when asked about the historic feat. "At the start of the tournament we knew that it would have been a tough tournament and to see that the hard work that we have put in has borne fruit. To see us rally from that first defeat and pull off the double is fantastic."
Jamaica, who lost their first and only match of the season to Trinidad and Tobago in the three-day competition, but rallied to win nine straight, including all five one dayers, finished with maximum 20 points, four more than second-place Trinidad and Tobago who defeated Guyana by six wickets in their final game at Elletson Road. Trinidad also finished second in the three-day competition.
Barbados, who tallied 12 points, ended third while the Leewards, who defeated the Windwards by five wickets at Chedwin Park, finished fourth. Guyana ended fifth and the Windwards last.
"It has been a wonderful team effort," said Jamaica's captain, Paul Palmer Jr. "We did well in all aspects of our game and thanks must go out to our coach, trainer, manager and those who supported us."
Jamaica, in winning, joined their female Under-19 counterparts, the Under-15s, the blind cricketers and the national senior team as regional champions. The national senior women's team, the defending champions, is slated to leave next Thursday for Guyana.
Man of the match
Yesterday's victory, which saw 15-year-old opener John Campbell receiving his third man-of-the-match one-day award, was first set up by left-arm spinner Patrick Harty, 3-23; Campbell 2-19; leg-spinner Dewar, 2-17; and part-time off-spinner Ramon Senior 2-42.
Outstanding Barbadian opener Anthony Alleyne, 63, and all-rounder Dare Cummins, 22, led the way for their team which, from a relatively strong position of 102-2, succumbed to Jamaica's spinners.
Campbell, with a stroke-filled and entertaining 62-ball 47, including three fours and two towering sixes, one of which ended in the second tier of the North Stand, and opening partner Brian Clarke, 32, then guided Jamaica home, despite a minor hiccup in which they fell from a commanding 95-2 to a shaky 119-5.