The national Under-19 cricket team will hope for more luck when the West Indies Cricket Board Regional U-19 50-over tournament bowls off today in Guyana.
T&T finished sixth (last) in the three-day competition which concluded on Friday in Guyana, ending as the only team without a win. T&T lost two and drew one of its three matches. Guyana ended with two wins and a draw to win the title ahead of the Leeward Islands.
T&T's top order struggled throughout the competition including the last day of the tournament. After Jeremy Solozano and Amir Jangoo got T&T to 62/0 in its second innings against Guyana on Friday, a batting collapse followed and T&T was bundled out for 152 handing Guyana the win and the title.
Meanwhile, Jamaica will look to start its defence of the one-day title of the Regional Under-19 Championship strongly, when it faces Barbados in the opening round of matches on Monday at Bourda Oval.
The Jamaicans coughed up the three-day title to hosts Guyana with inconsistent play, finishing fourth in the table behind the unconvincing Barbadians, and will be looking to put a far sterner defence of the limited-overs title.
They will fancy their chances against their old rivals following a convincing six-wicket victory over them in the three-day competition.
Jamaica appears to have a balanced squad with their bowling revolving around their captain and off-spinner Ramaal Lewis and the deceptively quick Odean Smith and the batting carrying depth with West Indies Under-19 opener Leroy Lugg, fellow opener Odaine McCatty and wicketkeeper/batsman Romaine Morris out front.
Barbados will again depend heavily on their bowlers to keep opponents in check with left-arm spinner Chad Williams, the top bowler in the three-day competition, having to play a key role in setting the tone.
The batting will have to be the key for the Barbadians though, and they will require greater consistency than they showed in the three-day matches, although their victory in the final match against Leeward Islands when the batting finally clicked would boost confidence.
T&T will face an ICC Americas team at the Demerara Cricket Club in round one of the 50-over tournament. The ICC Americas team did not compete in the three-day competition.
In other matches, Barbados will face Jamaica and Guyana will tackle the Leeward Islands. The Windward Islands will be on a first-round bye.
fixtures
ICC Americas vs T&T � Demerara Cricket Club
Barbados vs Jamaica � Bourda Oval
Guyana vs Leeward Islands � Enmore
Windward Islands � Bye
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