MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand – West Indies Under-19s’ title defence ended in shambles with a 76-run defeat to South Africa Under-19s, but controversy accompanied their disappointing exit from the ICC Youth World Cup yesterday.
Asked to chase 283 at Bay Oval, the young Caribbean side collapsed from 177 for four in the 39th over to 206 all out in the 46th, to crash to their second straight defeat following their loss to hosts New Zealand Under-19s in their opener last Saturday.
Alick Athanaze top-scored with 76 and Kirstan Kallicharan chimed in with 44 but fast bowler Hermann Rolfes rocked the Windies with four for 33 to put South Africa in command.
The defeat left the reigning champions third in Group A without a point and eliminating them from reaching the second round.
To complicate matters, captain Emmanuel Stewart sparked a firestorm during the South Africa innings when he appealed for an obstructing the field dismissal and had batsman Jiveshan Pillay controversially given out.
The left-handed Pillay had effortlessly cruised to 47 off 51 deliveries when he inside-edged a drive at fast bowler Jarion Hoyte and then watched carefully as the ball rolled to a stop next to his stumps.
However, he subsequently picked up the ball and tossed it to Stewart who then appealed and after umpires consulted, Pillay was given out for obstruction under Law 37.4.
Stewart’s actions drew heavy criticism from past and current players, reminiscent of the Mankad incident during the last Under-19 World Cup when West Indies also found themselves at the centre of controversy.
The contentious decision also soured the contest and detracted from South Africa’s innings, highlighted by a superb, run-a-ball unbeaten 99 from wicketkeeper Wandile Makwetu.
Gerald Coetzee chipped in with 29 and Kenan Smith, 22, as the South Africans got up to a challenging 282 for eight off their 50 overs after they were sent in.
In reply, West Indies were given a sound start by openers Kimani Melius (24) and Keagan Simmons (20) who put on 38 off 42 deliveries for the first wicket.
Once the left-handed Simmons was given out caught behind down the leg-side off seamer Coetzee (2-21), however, the Windies lost four wickets for 49 runs to decline to 87 for four at the end of the 21st over.
Stewart was bowled for two in the 12th over needlessly giving Rolfes the charge, Melius nicked a push at left-arm pacer Akhona Mnyaka and was caught behind while Bhaskar Yadram (13) was also caught at the wicket by Makwetu, cutting at left-arm spinner de Klerk (2-40).
With West Indies stuttering, the left-handed Athanaze combined with Kallicharan in a 90-run, fifth wicket stand which put the South Africans under pressure.
Athanaze faced 100 balls and counted six fours and a six while Kallicharan stroked five fours and a six in a handsome 50-ball knock.
Rolfes proved the trump card in the end, returning to trap Kallicharan lbw in the 39th over, triggering a dramatic slide which saw the last six wickets perish for 29 runs.
Athanaze was ninth out in the 45th over, smashing a return catch back to the enterprising Rolfes. (CMC)
SCOREBOARD
South Africa vs West Indies
SOUTH AFRICA Innings
M Breetzke c & b Hoyte 18
J Pillay obstructing the field 47
R van Tonder run out 0
H Rolfes c Simmons b Royal 17
W Makwetu not out 99
J Niemand run out 15
K Smith b Young 22
J de Klerk c wkp Stewart b Yadram 21
G Coetzee c Yadram b Alimohamed 29
T Ntini not out 0
Extras (nb1, w9, b4) 14
TOTAL (8 wkts, 50 overs) 282
Did not bat: A Mnyaka.
Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-58, 3-77, 4-93, 5-112, 6-170, 7-201, 8-268.
Bowling: Young 9-0-54-1, Alimohamed 9-0-78-1, Hoyte 7-0-36-1, Yadram 8-0-52-1, Royal 10-1-34-1, Nedd 7-1-24-0.
WEST INDIES Innings
K Melius c wkp Makwetu b Mnyaka 24
K Simmons c wkp Makwetu b Coetzee 20
E Stewart b Rolfes 2
B Yadram c wkp Makwetu b de Klerk 13
A Athanaze c & b Rolfes 76
K Kallicharan lbw b Rolfes 44
J Royal c Breetzke b de Klerk 2
N Young c de Klerk b Rolfes 4
R Alimohamed c Smith b Ntini 0
J Hoyte not out 1
A Nedd b Coetzee 0
Extras (lb8, w12) 20
TOTAL (all out, 45.3 overs) 206
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-55, 3-63, 4-87, 5-177, 6-182, 7-201, 8-202, 9-205, 10-206.
Bowling: Coetzee 7.3-2-21-2, Ntini 8-0-52-1, Rolfes 10-3-33-4, Mnayka 6-0-38-1, Niemand 4-1-14-0, de Klerk 10-0-40-2.
Result: South Africa U19s won by 76 runs.
Points: South Africa U19s 2, Windies U19s 0.
Man-of-the-Match: Wandile Makwetu.
Toss: Windies U19s.
Umpires: Ahsan Raza, Langton Rusere; TV – Ranmore Martinesz.
