Vice-captain Nathan Sealy delivered an outstanding bowling performance as West Indies Under-19s secured a morale-boosting six-wicket victory against New Zealand Under-19s in a warm-up match ahead of the U-19 World Cup in South Africa on Sunday.
The Barbadian left-arm spinner claimed four crucial wickets for just 21 runs from nine overs, leading a notable bowling effort that saw five other bowlers each contribute with one wicket. West Indies, choosing to field after winning the toss, successfully dismissed New Zealand for a total of 131 in 39.2 overs at the Braam Fisherville Sports Complex.
Sealy showcased his accuracy by dismissing two batsmen leg-before-wicket (lbw) and another with a clean bowled delivery. Following the impressive bowling performance, fellow Barbadian Joshua Dorne remained unbeaten with 45 runs, while Antiguan Jewel Andrew finished with an unbeaten 36.
Unbroken partnership of 58 runs for the fifth wicket
The duo combined for an unbroken partnership of 58 runs for the fifth wicket, guiding the West Indies to victory with 25.1 overs to spare, after a shaky start that left them at 74 for four in the 17th over.
This match served as the first of two warm-up games for the West Indies U-19 team, led by captain Stephan Pascal, before their opening fixture in the World Cup against hosts South Africa, scheduled for the upcoming Friday at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom. Their next warm-up encounter is against Nepal tomorrow at the St Stithians Main Oval.
Consistent wicket-taking abilities
Throughout the match, West Indies demonstrated consistent wicket-taking abilities, keeping New Zealand on the back foot by taking regular wickets. The Young Black Caps struggled to build substantial partnerships, with Tom Jones being their top scorer with 24 runs, closely followed by Lachlan Stackpole with 23. However, no other New Zealand batsmen managed to surpass the 20-run mark.
West Indies encountered early difficulties, reaching 19 for two within the first five overs, with New Zealand’s pace bowling captain, Oscar Jackson, making a significant impact by claiming two wickets for 14 runs from three overs. Nevertheless, Joshua Dorne, batting at number three, displayed composure and anchored the innings, eventually guiding West Indies to a convincing win alongside his partner Jewel Andrew.
