Trinidad and Tobago's cricketers closed off their campaign at the 2025 West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championships with a six-wicket win over the cellar-placed Leeward Islands in a low-scoring encounter at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's on April 23. It was TT's third win in the tournament, with their defeats coming against Guyana and eventual champs Barbados, who defended their 2024 title.
Sent in to bat first, Leewards were bowled out for a paltry 92, before the TT team raced to 93 for four after 16.4 overs to end their campaign on a high.
TT entered the final round in third place on the six-team table with 13.4 points. Last year's champs Barbados (21.6 points) and Guyana (17.4 points) entered the final round atop the table.
Trying to overturn their fortunes after four straight losses, the Leewards got a decent enough start as Kyan Maccow (15) and Clayvaunte Powell (18) put together 31 for the first wicket before the latter offered a simple return catch to left-arm seamer Jayden Sadaphal (three for 28).
Bowling from around the wicket, Sadaphal caused problems for the right-handers, and he got two more scalps as Karese Farrell (two) and Aedan Williams (six) were removed cheaply as Leewards slipped to 36 for three. The latter paid the price for shouldering arms, as his stumps were shattered by Sadaphal.
Another left-arm seamer, Giovanni McKnight (three for 29), then got in on the act as he got the wickets of both Kyle Maccow (15) and captain J'Quan Athanaze (duck) in consecutive overs to leave Leewards on 55 for five.
[caption id="attachment_1151192" align="alignnone" width="1024"] TT's under-15 cricket team for the 2025 West Indies Rising Stars Championships. -[/caption]
Leg-spinner Sanjiv Bachu (three for 12) then took over from the seamers, as he accounted for the wickets of De'Morae Prentice (18), Treon Daniel and William Pitman (both duck). Ethan Ramcharan needed just four balls to wrap up the Leewards innings as Ondre Peters (four) was dismissed in the 26th over.
Chasing the meagre score, TT showed their intent early as captain Kaiden Pollard was promoted to open the innings with Jordan Julien. Together, the TT openers rattled off 55 runs inside nine overs, but they rode their luck as Pollard was dropped twice when he tried to pounce on short bowling from Daniel.
The right-handed Julien (36 off 26 balls) hit seven fours and a six in a lovely cameo before he was dismissed by Williams as he tried to smash another boundary. After the swift 55-run opening stand, TT slipped to 68 for four by the 13th over as Elijah Ashton (one), vice-captain Zion Phillip (duck) and Pollard (21 off 34) were dismissed in quick succession. Pollard hit four boundaries in another cameo before he was bowled by Williams as he went for an expansive drive.
In a wobbly innings, allrounder Samuel Stewart (18 not out off 27) was dropped three times in consecutive overs. However, Samuel was there at the end as TT won comfortably with more than 30 overs to spare.
TT got four points for the win, with the tw
