COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CMC):
CAPTAIN LEON Johnson and his deputy Jason Mohammed struck fine unbeaten half centuries as the West Indies stumbled briefly before beating South Africa by seven wickets and claimed a quarter-final berth at the ICC Under 19 World Cup yesterday.
West Indies will now face India in their quarter-final encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium today.
The left-handed Johnson hammered 83 while Mohammed hit a mature, unbeaten 76, to propel the West Indies to 218 for three off 43.1 overs, overhauling the Proteas' 213 for eight off 50 overs at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium.
Johnson's innings came from 100 balls with 11 fours and one six, while Mohammed hit as many boundaries, as they shared a face-saving, third-wicket stand of 148 that hauled West Indies out of trouble at 17 for two in the fourth over.
SLAMMED CAVALIER 34
By the time Johnson departed in the 34th over, West Indies were well on their way to victory and Gajanand Singh ensured there were no further hiccups as he slammed a cavalier 34 from 25 balls with four fours and two sixes, in an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 53.
Needing to beat South Africa in order to reach the Super League, West Indies started disastrously when they lost opener William Perkins (6) to the third ball of the innings, lbw to fast bowler Craig Alexander with the score on six.
ATTACKED BOWLING
The regional side slipped further when Andre Fletcher (1) was also trapped lbw, this time to Wayne Parnell, with West Indies having only reached 17.
Johnson and Mohammed then came together to put the South African attack to the sword and give West Indies the advantage.
Earlier, stingy bowling by the West Indies second change bowlers put the squeeze on South Africa, after they were sent in on losing the toss.
Only opener Pieter Daneel with 90 from 125 balls showed any enterprise as off spinners Sunil Narine (2-29) and Rishi Bachan (1-27) were miserly in their 10 overs.
Leg-spinner Shamarh Brooks grabbed two for 43, while fast bowler Javon Searles, with two for 56, also got among the wickets.
Daneel and Jean Symes (25) added 64 for the first wicket before the latter was prised out by Narine in the 14th over. Richard Levi joined Daneel to garner 44 for the second wicket, but after Levi fell at 108, South Africa lost wickets steadily and never recovered.
