Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago were both pressing for outright wins after the first day of the final round of the Rising Stars Under-17 Two-Day Championship, yesterday.

Trailing leaders Barbados by 0.6 points heading into the last round, hosts T&T will enter the final day today in their match against the Windard Islands with a 38-run lead already on first innings. This was after the Windwards, sent in to bat first, were dismissed for 110. In reply, T&T reached 148 for four by the close.

Jordon Mohammed was the destroyer of the Windwards first innings at the National Cricket Centre in Couva, taking five wickets for 40 runs. He was supported by the miserly Ishmael Ali who took three for 11 in 10.4 overs.

In reply, openers Riyaad Mohammed (51, five fours), and Luke Ali (44, four fours) laid a solid platform for their team with a partnership of 108, spanning nearly 2 1/4 hours. It was T&T’s best partnership for any wicket for the tournament, and answered coach Rayad Emirt’s call for more occupation of the crease by his batters.

Over in Preysal, at Inshan Ali Park, Barbados will have a lead of 85 going into today’s play against Guyana.

Batting first, the Barbadians were restricted to 172, with Reviera Cottle top-scoring with 54 off just 57 balls. But the Guyanese youths fared much worse, succumbing for 90 in their first innings, mainly to Kyron King, who took five for 27.

With a lead on first innings of 82, Barbados closed on three without loss in their second innings. And at Gilbert Park, Jamaica, having been dismissed for 93 in their first innings against the Leeward Islands, hit back to bowl their opponents out for 86. Jamaica were 18 without loss at the end, leading by 25 runs.

Summarised Scores:

At NCC:

Windward Islands U-17s 110, 40.4 overs (Theo Edward 42, Jordon Mohammed 5/40, Ishmael Ali 3/11) vs T&T U-17s 148-4, 45v overs (Riyaad Mohammed 51, Luke Ali 47; Kirt Murray 4/39).

At Inshan Ali Park:

Barbados U-17s 172, 53.2 overs (Reviera Cottle 54, Matthew Poyttaya 4/39, Golcharran Chulai 3/56, Nityanand Mathura 2/23) & 3-0, 2 overs vs Guyana 90 U-17s, 29.2 overs (Kevin Kisten 33; Kyron King 5/27, Zishan Motara 3/6).

At Gilbert Park:

Jamaica U-17s 93, 42 overs (Kev’Aundre Virgo 21; Xaveek Toppin 3/13, Caiden Francis 2/23, Israel Morton 2/29) & 18-0, 8 overs vs Leeward Islands U-17s 86 (Xaveek Toppin 15; Ralique Thomas 4/18, Dantae Clarke 3/15).