West Indies wristspinners, Micah McKenzie and Vitel Lawes, combined to take six wickets on a surface that had plenty of turn and bite to close out a rain shortned contest against Ireland. Opting to bat first, the West Indies innings had earlier been held together by keeper-batter Jewel Andrew at No. 3 – his 66 off 82 consisted of four fours and four sixes, the majority of which came in the company of Jonathan van Lange,, during their fourth-wicket partnership of 67.

Jewel departed just six overs after van Lange, in the 33rd, and the rest of the batters struggled. No one besides him managed to cross the 30-run mark. Reuben Wilson scalped up van Lange, before returning to take out two lower-order batters to finish with figures of 3 for 50, closing out the innings with West Indies bowled out for 226.

His effort, complemented by James West’s economical 2 for 24 off seven overs, gave Ireland a realistic chance at chasing down the total. West also opened the batting for Ireland and top-scored for them, hitting a 55-ball 45 that was littered with eight boundaries. By the time he was Lawes’ first victim of the innings, in the 18th over, Ireland sat at a comfortable 82 for 2.

However, the going just got worse from there: Ireland lost four wickets to McKenzie, who spun his way through the middle order. Lawes held back his best over for his final one of the match, fizzing out Oliver Riley with its first ball, and then turning the ball prodigiously against Wilson and Bruce Whaley.

Ireland were on 164 for 7 by the time they played out Lawes’ over, needing an unlikely 62 off the final ten overs. The rain had the final say when it interrupted the match and delivered the final blow to Ireland’s hopes. The DLS par score had shot way past Ireland’s total, and when no further play was possible, West Indies walked away with a convincing spin display and a 25-run win to boost their chances in the Super Sixes.

Brief scores:
West Indies Under 19s  226 in 46.5 overs (Jewel Andrew 66; Reuben Wilson 3-50, Luke Murray 2-37, James West 2-24) beat Ireland Under 19s  164 for 7 in 40 overs (James West 45; Mica  McKenzie 4-36, Vitel Lawes 2-41)by 25 runs (DLS method)

[Cricinfo]

It took Australia U19s 32.5 overs, going at just around 3.5 runs an over for the majority of a belaboured chase against an excellent South Africa U-19 bowling effort. But they had that liberty after Charles Lachmond’s 3 for 29, and two wickets each from Will Byrom and Aryan Sharma, had bowled South Africa out for 118 all but ensuring the result of the match was in little doubt even at the halfway stage.

South Africa had been reduced to 37 for 4 inside the powerplay, failing to find answers against the raw pace and movement that Lachmund and Byrom found off the surface. Opener Jorich Van Schalkwyk was the sole bright spot for them, battling his way through this period and putting together a 30-run stand with Paul James, even as he was pinged on the helmet off a brutal Kasey Barton delivery.

Spinner Aryan proved to be particularly troublesome to face, as he kept spinning the ball away from the outside edge of the right-handers. He dropped two catches at point before coming into the attack, but made up for his fielding by scalping up two wickets of his own.

James kept one end steady once Schalkwyk was run out for a 26 off 55, but wickets kept falling at the other. He would eventually be the last batter out, for a 60-ball 34 .

In response, JJ Basson led a South Africa bowling attack that was incisive and economical. His spell of 3 for 41 was the highlight of a bowling effort that kept the Australia batters defensive, and also ensured that the Australia line-up lost three wickets for the first time in this tournament – in their fourth match of the tournament.

Steven Hogan never looked comfortable during his 73-ball 43, but timed short deliveries well while cutting late, and mowed down more than a third of the target by himself. He was the last Australian wicket to fall, as Basson’s third wicket. Alex Lee Young and Jayden Draper got together at the crease, and the latter smacked two fours in the 33rd over of the contest to bring it to a close.

Brief scores:
Australia 122 for 4 in 32.5 overs  (Steven Hogan 43, Jayden Draper 21*, Alex Lee Young 21*; JJ Basson 3-41) beat South Africa Under 19s  118 in 32.1 overs  (Paul James 34; Charles Lachmund 3-29, Will Byrom 2-16, Aryan Sharma 2-27) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]