By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Marshall
A SUPERB ALL-ROUND performance from Xavier Marshall carried Jamaica to a 150-run victory over the Leeward Islands through the Duck-worth/Lewis System in their opening match of the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Championships at Sir Frank Worrell Oval, UWI, yesterday.
Marshall, a Young West Indies player, scored 101 to help Jamaica to 287 for eight off their allotted 50 overs then returned figures of 2-9 as the Leewards' managed only 80 for seven in 27 overs.
Under the Duckworth/-Lewis System, the Leewards were asked to score 230 off 27 overs for victory after rain interrupted play.
Batting first, Jamaica did not get off to the start they anticipated, but despite losing the wicket of Yanick Elliott, bowled for zero at 12 for one, Marshall and Damion Ebanks made the Leewards pay.
In adding 117 runs for the second wicket, Marshall and Ebanks mixed aggression with patience, the sort of batting performance coach Junior Bennett asked for going into yesterday's match.
DIRECT HIT
In the end it took a direct hit to break the partnership and run out Ebanks who was pushing for a second run. Ebanks, known for his big hitting in the preparation matches, contributed 37 which included four fours.
Marshall then formed another useful 68-run partnership with Ziggy Levy, but it was the former who fell first. Marshall belted 10 fours and one six off just 99 deliveries in just over 2 1/2 hours at the crease.
"I was told by coach (Bennett) to bat through the 50 overs and although I did not, I tried to concentrate hard from ball one," explained Marshall who admitted he was let-off first ball.
Marshall, whose aim is to be voted the championships' Most Valuable Player, said the pitch wasn't the best at the start and he had to fight to get settled.
With Marshall's dismissal, the middle order of Levy, 28, captain Jamie Trenchfield, 20, and Wayne Morgan 44, maintained the momentum. Dillion Skelekie was the most successful bowler for the Leewards, picking up 2-63 off 10 overs.
The performance left Bennett a happy man.
PLEASED
"I am pleased with our out-cricket, I think we fielded very well today. I think we played good all-round cricket today and I am happy with that," Bennett said.
"It's very important to come away with a win because we really wanted to start on a positive note," he said.
The Leewards reply was affected by two rain stoppages and an early collapse.
The first stoppage was for about 15 minutes and the second at 3:01 p.m. forced the umpires to reduce the overs to 27, which meant the Leewards, who resumed at 39 for four after the interruption, needed another 191 runs to win off 15 overs.
Justin Athanaze with 22, which included two sixes, was the best scorer for the Leewards. Craigain Malcolm with 2-21, Levy 1-15 and Alton Beckford 1-15, supported Marshall.
Leewards coach Winston Benjamin blamed his team's out-cricket for its downfall. "We put down some very important catches and we paid dearly for that. And also, I thought the pitch was very poor, it wasn't a good cricket pitch at all."
