Windhoek: West Indies and Ireland scored crucial victories in their final group-stage matches at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Thursday.
Batting first, West Indies suffered an early blow when opener Thanes Francis was dismissed in the seventh over.
However, Zachary Carter anchored the innings with a brilliant century of 114 off 104 balls. The match turned around in the 22nd over when JJ Bison took three wickets in four balls to give South Africa a fighting chance.
Despite this, West Indies scored 234 runs and Carter’s innings was outstanding. Basson took a five-wicket haul to finish with exceptional scores, while Paul James and Michael Kruskamp also claimed major scalps.
Chasing 235 runs, South Africa struggled from the start. Shaquan Belle dismissed opener Adnan Lagadian and successive dismissals of Jorich van Schalkwyk and Muhammad Bulbulia left the young Proteas at 41/3 at the end of the powerplay.
Jason Rawls and Armaan Managh put on a 42-run partnership, but Managh’s departure and Rolls’ dismissal for 46 left South Africa in trouble at 115/5.
Belle returned to produce a brilliant four-wicket haul, finishing with six wickets overall, as South Africa collapsed, losing their last five wickets for just 57 runs. West Indies won by 55 runs.
In another group clash, Japan batted first in a must-win match against Ireland.
Early breakthroughs from Ollie Riley and Adam Leckie left Japan reeling at 57/3, with Samuel Hazlett claiming another wicket in the 20th over.
Captain Kazuma Kato-Stafford and Charles Hara-Hinze steadied the innings with a 68-run partnership, but quick wickets later saw Japan bowled out for 247, despite a late 62 from Gabriel Hara-Hinze (44) and Skyler Nakayama-Cook (30).
Riley (3/52) and Leckie (3/44) were the best bowlers for Ireland, supported by Hazlett and Thomas Ford.
Ireland’s chase got off to a shocking start when James West was dismissed by Catto-Stafford in the ninth over. Freddie Ogilvy and Leckie put on 95 runs to put Ireland in control.
Timothy Moore took two quick wickets to break the partnership, but Sebastian Dijkstra’s unbeaten 55 saw Ireland win by four wickets.