Windhoek (Namibia), Jan 15 (IANS) The 2016 winner, the West Indies, made a winning start, beating Tanzania by five wickets in their opening match of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, Namibia, to go top of Group D.
Meanwhile, the match between Zimbabwe and Scotland in Harare was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
At the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, Tanez Francis was the star with the bat for the Windies, having scored a fine half-century after Vitel Lawes-led bowling effort restricted Tanzania to a very chaseable score of 121.
Windies had opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Dylan Thakrar and Darpan Jobanputra gave Tanzania a solid start with a 53-run opening stand. Jonathan van Lange gave West Indies the breakthrough that triggered a Tanzanian collapse.
Lawes led the charge for the Windies, picking up three wickets as the Tanzanian innings folded for just 121 in 34 overs. Francis then took charge with the bat in Windhoek as he stitched an 80-run stand with Jewel Andrew after seeing opening partner Zackary Carter depart early to put the Windies on the cusp of victory.
Andrew and Francis fell in quick succession, either side of the half-century mark, as Tanzania picked up four wickets in quick succession to put Windies 114/5. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent them from losing the game as the Windies eased to the target to pick up their first win of the tournament.
Windies take on Afghanistan in their next match in Group D on Sunday, before Tanzania face South Africa on Monday. Both matches will be held at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek.
ZIMBABWE-SCOTLAND ABANDONED WITHOUT TOSS
The match between Zimbabwe and Scotland has been abandoned without a ball being bowled. Both teams will get a point each.
The hosts face England in their next match on Sunday, while Scotland take on Pakistan on Monday, with both games taking place at Takashinga Sports Club in Harare
–IANS
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