USA claim rain-ravaged U15 Championship

Brian Piccolo Park after Tropical Storm Ernesto © ICC

In an Americas U15 Championship severely hampered by poor weather, including Tropical Storm Ernesto, the United States snatched the regional title on the final day, despite more thunderstorms and drastically shortened games.

With the first two days of this three day event completely lost to Ernesto's presence over Florida, USA, officials from ICC Americas, USACA and local city and county authorities worked tirelessly to at least salvage a knock-out 20-20 tournament between the four participating teams on the final day.

The two semi-finals, although ultimately completed, were interrupted by heavy showers, which meant that the final and third/fourth place play-off were reduced to 15 overs a side in order to fit them in before darkness fell. As it was, the final exciting moments were played out in gathering dark, with a backdrop of thunder and lightning in the distance, as the USA clinched victory off the final ball over Bermuda in the final.

After two frustrating days of no play, matches finally got under way at the Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City, Fort Lauderdale in southern Florida. In the first semi-final defending champions eased past an Americas Development combination (made up of players from the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Canada and the USA) by 7 wickets.

Bermuda v Americas Development XI © ICC

The Americas team batted valiantly against a strong Bermudan bowling line-up to total 91 for 6 on their 20 overs. Makal Young top-scored with 31 not out, while Kamal Leverock added 18. Pick of the Bermudan bowlers were Kevon Fubler with 3 for 8, and Regino Smith with 2 for 12.

In reply Bermuda reached their target in 14,4 overs, reaching 93 for 3 to advance to the final. For Bermuda Sinclair Smith was undefeated on 49, and for the combined team Neil Saini took 1 for 7.

In the other semi-final, the USA team, coached by former West Indies international Clayton Lambert, outplayed Canada to win by 25 runs and set up a final clash with 2004 champions Bermuda.

Batting first, USA totaled 95 for 5 off their 20 overs, and then bundled out the Candians for 70 in 17,3 overs. Opening US bat Balaji Giridharan made a good 30, while Gregory Sewdial added a quick 20, while best bowler for Canada was Trevor Manoosingh with 1 for 9 in 2 overs.

Vaibhan Nayar did the damage with the ball for the USA with figures of 3 for 6 in 4 overs, while Sewdial completed a good all-round performance with 2 for 17. Of the Canadian batsmen, only openers Rahul Srinivasan, with 12, and Hiral Patel, with 13, reached double figures as Canada crashed from 25 without loss to 70 all out. Their innings also included four run outs.

In the bronze medal game between Canada and the Americas Development team, a whirlwind 74 by Hussain Zaidi virtually settled the game as Canada raced to an imposing 169 for 5 in their 15 overs. Zaidi hit 8 towering sixes in his innings. Hiral Patel also contributed a fine 48. Neil Saini again bowled well to finish with 2 for 24.

In reply, the Americas team could only reach 61 for 5 on their allotted 15 overs, thus giving Canada victory, by 108 runs, and thus third place overall. Saini finished a good day with 17 not out, while Rodrae Wilson was undefeated on 18.

Canada v USA © ICC

The final between hosts USA and defending champions Bermuda was a tense and absorbing tussle culminating in a nail-biting finish. The United States batted first, and battled gamely to reach 80 for the loss of 5 wickets in their 15 overs. Batting hero was Vaibhan Nayar, who made exactly half his teams total by scoring an undefeated 40.

Chasing their target of 81 to retain the Americas U15 crown, Bermuda stayed up with the required run-rate, with opener Terryn Fray making a solid 24. But tight bowling from the USA, especially Nayar with 2 for 10, and Gregory Sewdial, 3 for 18, kept the outcome in the balance right until the final over and the final ball.

At the start of the final over, at 69 for 6, Bermuda still required 12 runs to win. By the time Balaji Giridharan prepared to bowl the last ball, Darrell and Caines had gathered nine runs, and needed a further 3 to win, or 2 to tie. A missed swing and dot ball triggered USA celebrations as Bermuda ended on 78 for 6, and USA had won by 2 runs and thus won the Americas U15 Championship.

Bermuda v Americas Development XI
Americas Development XI - 91 for 6 (20 overs) - M.Young 31no , K.Leverock 18 , K.Fubler 4-1-8-3 , R.Smith 4-1-12-2 ; Bermuda - 93 for 3 (14,4 overs) - S.Smith 49no , S.Hall 11 , N.Saini 4-0-7-1
Bermuda won by 7 wickets.

USA v Canada
USA - 95 for 5 (20 overs) - B.Giridharan 30 , G.Sewdial 20 , H.Brijcall 13 , T.Manoosingh 2-0-9-1 ; Canada - 70 all out (17,3 overs) - H.Patel 13 , R.Srinivasan 12 , V.Nayar 4-2-6-3 , G.Sewdial 3,3-0-17-2
USA won by 25 runs.

Canada v Americas Development XI
Canada - 169 for 5 (15 overs) - H.Zaidi 74 , H.Patel 48 ; Americas Development XI - 61 for 5 (15 overs) - N.Saini 17no , R.Wilson 18no , T.Kittur 2-0-5-1 , R.Duvraj 2-0-5-1
Canada won by 108 runs.

USA v Bermuda
USA - 80 for 5 (15 overs) - V.Nayar 40 , V.Varrurl 11 , G.Mabury 3-0-11-1 , K.Fubler 2-0-11-1 ; Bermuda - 78 for 6 (15 overs) - T.Fray 24 , D.Darrel 11no , G.Sewdial 3-0-18-3 , V.Nayar 3-0-10-2
USA won by 2 runs.

1. United States
2. Bermuda
3. Canada
4. Americas Development XI

Man of the Match:

Bermuda v Americas XI - Sinclair Smith (Bermuda)
Canada v USA : - Vaibhan Nayar (USA)
Canada v Ameritas XI: - Hussain Zaidi (Canada)
Bermuda v USA : - Vaibhan Nayar (USA)

Player of the Tournament: - Vaibhan Nayar (USA)
Best Batsman - Hussain Zaidi (Canada)
Best Bowler: - Vaibhan Nayar (USA)
Best Fielder: - Kevon Fugler (Bermuda)
Best Wicket-keeper: - Akash Jagannathan (USA)