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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (CMC):

USA-1 installed themselves as heavy favourites to capture the 2025 Rising Stars Men's Under-19 50-over Championship by thrashing defending champions Barbados in a clash of unbeaten teams yesterday.

What was expected to be a tightly contested affair ended up being a lopsided affair as USA-1 won by a mammoth 219 runs.

In other results, Windward Islands strolled to victory over Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana edged the Leeward Islands, while Jamaica emerged victorious over USA-2 in their rain-affected contest.

At St Mary's Park: USA-1 are on the verge of capturing their maiden Rising Stars Men's title after comprehensively dispatching the defending champions in their top-of-the-table clash.

Utkarsh Srivastava continued his impressive form in the tournament, scoring a spectacular 124, while Sahil Garg made 85, to guide the USA to a competitive 305 for eight from their 50 overs.

Sabrish Prasad then grabbed 5-14, while Srivastava completed a solid all-around effort by collecting two wickets, as USA bowled out Barbados for a paltry 89 in 25.5 overs, to register their fifth successive victory.

Barbados lost danger men Zachary Carter and captain Joshua Dorne for one and nine, respectively, before Prasad ran through the middle order by snaring the scalps of Kevion Newton for two, Gadson Bowens for six and Raphael Lovell, to see them collapse from 56 for two to 87 for seven.

Earlier, Srivastava, who faced 124 balls and hit 11 fours and three sixes, and Garg, who struck seven fours and one six in the 88 balls he faced, shared a 151-run partnership for the second wicket to put the USA in control.

And when Garg fell to leave the score 183 for two in the 30th over, Srivastava dominated a 51-run partnership with Adnit Jhamb, who made 14.

It helped the USA's sterling batting effort overshadow a five-wicket haul by Barbadian pacer Shaquan Belle, who took 5-53, while Zachary Carter finished with 2-54.

At Elquem edo Willett Park: Jamaica got the better of USA-2 by eight wickets via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method in their contest that was affected by rain.

In a match that was reduced to 43 overs per side, USA-2 only managed to get up to 147 for nine.

Ansh Bhoje hit the top score of 34, but USA were overrun by Jamaica's trio of Vitel Lawes (4-23), Kev'Aundre Virgo (2-13) and Dantae Clark (2-31).

Brian Barnes then hit an unbeaten, even 50 off 33 balls with four sixes and three fours, and Jamaica were comfortably placed at 114 for two in the 15th over when the heavens opened up, forcing the match to be abandoned.

At St Paul's Sports Complex: Opener Stephan Pascal struck a defiant century as the Windward Islands triumphed over Trinidad and Tobago by six wickets.

Pascal slammed 113 from 121 balls, with eight fours and six sixes, as the Windward Islands chased down T&T's total of 188 for nine, finishing on 191 for four in 43.3 overs.

Pascal added 115 runs for the second wicket with Earsinho Fontaine, who made 41, to put their side in a comfortable position to push for victory.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, T&T never fully recovered from a disastrous start, despite a valiant effort by their lower order.

Kirt Murray grabbed four wickets to help reduce T&T to 52 for six, but Abdul-Raheem Toppin scored 77 from 88 balls with four sixes and three fours, to help propel them to their eventual total.

Murray was the best bowler for the Windward Islands with 4-20.

At Conaree Sports Club: Guyana registered their first win of the competition in thrilling style by scraping past the Leeward Islands by two wickets with five balls to spare.

Led by decent contributions from their top order, the Leeward Islands posted 233 before being bowled out in 47.2 overs.

De-Antre Drew made 42, Devanand Singh scored 41, while Kunal Tilokani added 38, but the Leeward Islands were not able to maximise their solid start.

For Guyana, Romario Ramdehol (3-22), Golcharran Chulai (3-39) and Jonathan van Lange (2-49), were the main destroyers.

Guyana, buoyed by its middle order, squeezed home in the final over, posting 234 for eight in 49.1 overs.

Rampersaud Ramnauth topscored with 48 at the top of the order, Jonathan van Lange and Afraz Ali Budhoo scored 47 and 34, respectively, while Shamar Apple, batting at number eight made an unbeaten 18 off 13 balls to guide Guyana over the line.

Matthew Miller took 3-51, Isra-el Morton 2-39 and Tanez Francis 2-40 for the Leeward Islands.