Sri Lanka sealed their qualification for the Super League stage with a dramatic win over West Indies, while South Africa defeated Ireland to make it to the quarter-finals as well.
Dunith Velalez and Mathisha Pathirana both took three wickets each as Sri Lanka restricted the hosts to 250 before Sadisha Rajapakse (76), Anjala Bandara (40) and Ranuda Somarathana scored an unbeaten 28 and took Group D winners by three wickets. directed towards its success.
In the second game of the day, South Africa captain George Van Heerden led from the front as his scintillating century helped his team win over Ireland by 153 runs at Tarouba.
Van Heerden scored 111 off 93 balls, while Dewald Brevis contributed 96 runs in South Africa’s total of 315 for seven in 47 overs to bowl out Ireland for 158.
Matthew Bost (3-26) and Liam Elder (3-20) were excellent performers with the ball for the young Proteas as they finished second in Group B and a Super League place.
Sri Lanka full of tense win
Sri Lanka maintained their perfect record at the Conari Sports Club in Basseterre with a thrilling three-wicket win over the West Indies in the 2022 ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The hosts went into the competition knowing that they needed a big win to stand a chance of qualifying for the Super League quarter-finals, with their opponents and Australia ahead of them in Group D.
Openers Shakkere Parish and Matthew Nandu made sure they got off to a steady start, reaching 20 for no loss by the end of the fifth over, before Travin Mathew removed the latter for seven.
Teddy Bishop and Kevin Wickham put on a useful partnership for Paris to be bowled for 16 by Dunith Velalez, taking West Indies to 102 for two after 26 overs.
Bishop was eventually removed for 45 by Velez, caught by Matthews, but picked up by Jordan Johnson where his teammate scored 26 off 30 balls.
Wickham reached his half-century in the 38th over before being dismissed for 56 at the hands of Mathisha Pathirana, though Johnson and Rivaldo Clarke kept the West Indies in good stead.
Two wickets in three balls in the 45th over stalled the hosts’ momentum, however, with Velez accounting for Johnson as he fell three runs short of his half-century, before Giovante Depiza was run unscored by Anjala Bandara. was thrown out.
McKennie Clarke’s late cameo of 21 off 13 balls bowled West Indies out for 250, with both Velalez (3-39) and Pathirana (3-67) taking three wickets.
In reply, Sri Lanka lost opener Chamindu Wickremesinghe in the first opener as Nathan Edward trapped him outside off-stump in a flick that went straight to Rivaldo Clark.
Sadisha Rajapaksa and Chevon Daniel got their side back on track as they reached one for 56 at the end of the 11th over before Daniel was dismissed for 34 by McKennie Clarke.
Rajapaksa operated without a care and despite losing Shakuna Lianage (9), he completed his half-century in the 25th over with the support of new teammate Anjala Bandara at the crease.
Bandara contributed 40 off 52 balls before his wicket was taken by Isai Thorne, Rajapaksa (76) also dropped the same bowler in the 40th over as Sri Lanka reached 200 for five.
Still needing 51 off 60 balls for victory, Shiv Shankar removed Velez (15) to set up a tense final as Ranuda Somarathna and Raveen de Silva came together in the middle.
McEnany Clarke bowled de Silva (13) but Somarathana’s nervous knock of 28 off 27 balls saw Sri Lanka at home as they registered a three-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.
Captain Van Heerden moves from the front
A blockbuster century from South Africa captain George Van Heerden propelled his side towards the Super League quarter-finals as they beat Ireland by 153 runs in Tarouba.
Both sides started their all-important final Group B game level on points, with South Africa holding a narrow advantage in the table thanks to their superior net run-rates.
With India all but securing their place in the Super League before their final game against Uganda before winning the last eight, South Africa and Ireland suffered a shootout for second place.
And Ireland got off to a dream start when Ruben Wilson removed South African opener Valentine Kittime for a duck in the first over, before Liam Doherty bowled Ethan-John Cunningham (11).
At 18 for two after four overs, South Africa were faltering but Dewald Brevis soon restored order and made 27 runs in 29 balls with two fours to make 53 for two after 10 overs. .
Ireland responded by taking the wicket of Gerhardus Mari (14) as Wilson struck again, still bringing Van Heerden to the crease to form a formidable partnership with Brevis.
Brevis completed his half-century with a boundary off the last ball of the 22nd over and kept looking for boundaries at regular intervals as Van Heerden provided support from the other end.
But just four runs short of his century, Brevis was penalized for a loose cut shot from Scott Macbeth as a diving full length catch in the gully by Matthew Humphries sent him packing for 96.
While that wicket briefly stalled South Africa’s momentum, Van Heerden soon took the baton and completed his half-century before stepping on the gas with Andile Simelane.
An explosive 25 from Simlain’s 12 balls, which included three sixes and four from Macbeth in the 38th over, only added to Ireland’s troubles as South Africa reached 207 for four.
Simelane was dismissed in the next over but Mickey Copeland made 43 off 18 balls before Van Heerden hit a four in the 46th over to complete his century.
Van Heerden eventually lost his wicket on the final ball of the innings, which was earlier shortened to 47 overs due to a rain delay, with South Africa scoring 315 for seven.
Ireland’s reaction could not have been off to a worse start as Liam Doherty was caught by Mary for a golden duck off Matthew Bost on the first ball of the innings.
Nathan McGuire stabilized the ship with a 33-ball 42 before Simelan took the wicket, both Joshua Cox and Ireland captain Tim Tector cheaply falling at the hands of Bost.
Phillips Roux (33) provided some resistance along with Humphries (38), but a lack of support meant Ireland were always fighting an uphill battle and they were eventually bowled out for 158.
Bost was the bowler’s star with three for 26 for the young Proteas, while Liam Elder also took three for 20, with Asakhe Tsaka and Simelane contributing two each.
Meanwhile, five players from West Indies and four other players from India have got positive PCR test results through the official program testing programme. The players are currently self-isolating and are being monitored and looked after by the medical team.
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