Jewel Andrew’s brilliant 130 in vain as West Indies open ICC U-19 World Cup campaign with 31-run loss to South Africa

By January 19, 2024
Jewel Andrew celebrating his hundred. Jewel Andrew celebrating his hundred.

A magnificent 130 from 17-year-old Antiguan wicketkeeper/batsman Jewel Andrew was not enough as the West Indies Under-19s opened their 2024 World Cup campaign with a 31-run loss to hosts South Africa in the opening game of the tournament at Sewnes Park in Potchefstroom on Friday.

The hosts recovered from a tough position to post 285-9 from their 50 overs after being put in to bat by the 2016 champions.

At one point, South Africa found themselves 145-6 in the 35th over before a brilliant 130-run seventh wicket partnership between Dewan Marais and Captain Juan James.

Marais hit four fours and four sixes on his way to a top score of 65 off just 38 balls while James his three fours and one six for his 47 off 54 balls.

Earlier, David Teeger did his best to provide some stability to the innings with a patient 98-ball 44 batting at three while opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius made a 34-ball 40.

West Indies Vice-Captain Nathan Sealy was impressive with his left arm spin with 3-34 from his 10 overs while pacers Deshawn James and Nathan Edward took a pair of wickets each.

The West Indian reply then got off to the worst possible start when, off the second ball of the innings, Adrian Weir was wrongly adjudged out leg before wicket off the bowling of Kwena Maphaka for a duck.

That was the start of a horrendous first powerplay for the tourists with Captain Stephan Pascal (6), Joshua Dorne (9), Jordan Johnson (21) and Steven Wedderburn (12) all falling in quick succession.

With the West Indies 73-5, Nathan Sealy and Jewel Andrew were brought together and the pair put together a brilliant 117-run sixth wicket partnership to put victory well within reach for the Caribbean side.

The partnership came to an end in the 29th over when Sealy was brilliantly run out by Oliver Whitehead for a crucial 33 off 55 balls.

Shortly after Sealy’s dismissal, Andrew brought up a magnificent hundred off just 71 balls including 11 fours and three sixes.

With the West Indies comfortable, needing 61 from 90 balls with four wickets in hand, the game changed once again thanks to a brilliant piece of wicketkeeping from Ntando Zuma to stump Tarrique Edward for 13 off the bowling of David Teeger.

The West Indies fightback all but ended off consecutive deliveries in the 39th and 40th overs.

First, Maphaka picked up his fourth wicket of the innings with an excellent Yorker to dismiss Nathan Edward for 12 before Andrew’s innings finally came to an end off the bowling of Riley Norton at the start of the very next over with the West Indies needing a further 36 for victory.

Andrew made a brilliant 130 off just 96 balls including 14 fours and three sixes.

Maphaka ended proceedings with his fifth wicket, removing Isai Thorne for two to dismiss the West Indies for 254 off 40.1 overs.

Scores: South Africa Under-19s 285-9 off 50 overs (Dewan Marais 65, Juan James 47, David Teeger 44, Lhuan-de Pretorius 40, Nathan Sealy 3-34, Deshawn James 2-38, Nathan Edward 2-63)

West Indies Under-19s 254 off 40.1 overs (Jewel Andrew 130, Nathan Sealy 33, Jordan Johnson 21, Kwena Maphaka 5-38, Riley Norton 3-66)

 

Bradley Jacks

Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.

Related items

  • CG United Super50 Cup final between Scorpions, Pride abandoned due to inclement weather CG United Super50 Cup final between Scorpions, Pride abandoned due to inclement weather

    The CG United Super50 final between the Jamaica Scorpions and the Barbados Pride was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to the inclement weather at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Saturday.

    Barbados Pride, with six titles plus one shared, were hoping to break a mini drought having last won in 2016-17, while Jamaica, with eight titles plus one shared, had ambitions to get back to the summit as their last title was in the 2022-23 season.

  • Greaves’ maiden century powers Windies to control on day two as Bangladesh reeling at 40-2 Greaves’ maiden century powers Windies to control on day two as Bangladesh reeling at 40-2

    West Indies took firm control of their opening Test match against Bangladesh as Justin Greaves’ maiden century piloted the Caribbean side to a mammoth first innings total of 450-9 declared at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday.

    The hosts then restricted Bangladesh to 40-2 at the close of day two, leaving the visitors with a steep challenge ahead as they look to recover from a poor start.

    Mominul Haque, not out on 7, and Shahadat Hossain, unbeaten on 10, will resume on Sunday with Bangladesh at 40-2, still trailing by 410 runs.

    Greaves, who enjoyed sublime form in the Super50 Cup with three consecutive centuries, continued that rich vein of form with an unbeaten 115 that anchored West Indies’ innings and ensured a daunting total on the board.

    The 30-year-old’s knock, which lasted just over six hours, had only four boundaries and was crucial in reviving the innings after a mid-session slump.

    Scores: West Indies 450-9 dec; Bangladesh 40-2

    West Indies resumed the day at 250-5 with Greaves on 11, and Joshua da Silva, 14, looking to consolidate their position. However, early breakthroughs from Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud threatened to derail the West Indies’ momentum.

    Mahmud struck in the first session, removing da Silva without addition to his overnight score, and Alzarri Joseph (four), who also fell cheaply to leave West Indies at a precarious 261-7.

    At that point, the Bangladesh bowlers seemed poised to bowl the Caribbean side down for a score under 300, but Greaves and veteran pacer Kemar Roach had other ideas.

    The two Barbadians countered the pressure with patience, building a partnership of 140 runs for the eighth wicket that pushed West Indies past the 400-run mark.

    Roach, who had previously struggled with the bat in Tests, made 47—his highest Test score in his 15-year career. He batted for over four hours, frustrating the Bangladesh bowlers with steady defence and timely strokes.

    Together, Roach and Greaves weathered the storm, forcing Bangladesh to toil longer and harder than expected. Greaves, in particular, looked in complete control, while Roach’s composed knock provided vital support.

    West Indies then made quick inroads in Bangladesh’s reply and reduced the visitors to 2-21, with both openers back in the pavilion cheaply. Alzarri Joseph was the first to strike, removing Mahmudul Hasan Joy for just five runs before Jayden Seales cleaned up Zakir Hasan for 15.

    With Bangladesh struggling at 2-21, it seemed as though West Indies were on the brink of another quick domination as they sought to dismiss the Bangladesh top-order cheaply. However, Mominul Haque and Shahadat Hossain managed to negotiate the remainder of the day without further loss.

  • Gatland future up in the air after Wales suffer 12th consecutive loss Gatland future up in the air after Wales suffer 12th consecutive loss

    Wales head coach Warren Gatland did not have answers about his future following their 45-12 defeat to South Africa, their 12th consecutive loss.

    The Springboks dominated from the off and were cruising 26-0 just before half-time, after Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Elrigh Louw crossed.

    Rio Dyer's try before the break ensured Wales did not draw a blank in the first half, but South Africa did not let up as Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenenkamp and Jordan Hendrikse all followed suit.

    James Botham's late effort ensured Wales did not suffer their worst-ever home defeat, but they have now gone an entire calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.

    Gatland has come under increasing pressure as the losses pile up, and though his future remains up in the air, he was proud of how his inexperienced side held up against the world champions.

    "It's about seeing what the Welsh Rugby Union has to say," he told TNT Sports when asked about his future.

    "You don't make a decision straight after a game, it's always tough coming to a press conference straight after a game before you've had time to catch your breath and look at some of the stats and numbers.

    "Let's just see what happens over the next few days."

    On their recent run of form, he added: "We punched massively above our weight for a number of years, and we've been saying that when the dam bursts it's going to take a little bit of time to put things right.

    "The dam has burst, but it's about making sure that, collectively, with the regions we work together.

    "I think we need to be in better shape in a conditioning point of view. We will work on that with some of the players over the next couple of months, so when they turn up for the Six Nations, they're ready to go from day one."

    South Africa have won each of their last three Tests, building on their wins over Scotland and England earlier in the series.

    Captain Siya Kolisi was pleased with their ruthlessness in the game but also sympathised with Gatland's situation.

    "It's been a really good tour," he told TNT Sports. "It hasn't been perfect, the first two games we weren't happy - happy we won, but there was so much we could have done better.

    "The results are important, but it's how you do things, the standards we set for ourselves. We know we can do a little bit better as a group.

    "We were where Wales are a couple of years ago.

    "The only thing I can say is you just can't stop believing. If you look at their starting backline, one of our guys had more caps than all of them. You have to be realistic about these things."

    Elsewhere, Ireland produced their most convincing win of their series, scoring eight tries as they cruised past Fiji 52-17 in Dublin earlier on Saturday. 

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.