West Indies: Nortel Championship - New format starts today (20 Jul 1998)

20 July 1998

New Nortel starts today

The Trinidad Express

The dozens of youngsters involved in this year's rain-hit NorTel tournament get back into action today when the new limited-over schedule of matches begins. The annual regional Under-19 championship has been changed from a three-day competition to a One-day limited overs tournament because of heavy and persistent rain here over the past two weeks which ruined the original fixtures.

The youngsters and the officials accompanying them will be hoping that the heavy outfields and water-logged conditions which forced the restructuring are now a thing of the past.

The weather has been largely sunny since the decision was taken at the end of last week to change the format and the players have had more than enough time to prepare themselves psychologically for the different challenges posed by limited-overs matches.

The Windward Islands yesterday warmed up for today's start with a hard-fought 20-run victory over the NorTel Development team in a friendly match at Shaw Park in Tobago on Saturday.

After being dismissed for a paltry 111 in 40 overs, the Windwards struck back in late afternoon to rout the NorTel combination for 91. Over at Goodwood grounds, Jamaica defeated Canada by 35 runs.

Jamaica reached 146 for six wickets in 35 overs with Marlon Samuels scoring a blistering 59, which included four fours and two sixes. The Canadians were then restricted to 111 for eight from their 35 allotted overs.

In today's match-ups, the Windwards are up against hosts Trinidad and Tobago at the Queen's Park Oval and Jamaica take on Guyana at Gilbert Park. In the other competitive game Barbados and the Leewards go at each other at the Squadron ground in Arouca while the NorTel Developnment squad opposes Canada at PowerGen ground in Penal in the first of a series of three matches.

At Goodwood: Jamaica won by 35 runs.

Jamaica 146 for six in 35 overs (Marlon Samuels 59, Tamar Lambert 27, Kevin Sandher 3/25) v Canada 111 for eight in 35 overs (Asif Bhaggai 50, Damien Mills 14, Marlon Samuels 3/12).

At Shaw Park: Windwards won by 20 runs.

Windward Islands 111 in 40 overs (Devin Smith 45, Kenroy Martin 16, Kevil George 14; Kevin Hanley 4/19, Reagan McLean 2/15, Imran Jaffarally 2/21, Kevin Joseph 2/24) v NorTel Development Team 91 in 35 overs (Kurt Wilkinson 18, Neil Persad 15, Reagan McLean 10; Camilus Alexander 3/15, Kevil George 2/4, Troy George 2/11).

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)