Jayden Seales did the damage with the ball to hustle Australia out for 179 and Young’s measured innings in reply saw West Indies to victory with 24 balls to spare of their Group B opener.
Bangladesh and UAE were emphatic winners on the second day of action in South Africa, while Japan’s ICC event debut against New Zealand was abandoned due to rain.
A famous win
West Indies outlasted Australia by three wickets to lay down a marker at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley.
Young was the matchwinner for the Windies with a priceless 61 from 69 balls just as Australia were bearing down on his side’s tail.
“It’s good to get a win,” Young said. “It doesn’t matter the opponent, but it is good to get it against Australia. I am happy to get it across the line, and I think it shows how we fight with the ball and the bat.”
Australia batted first and were bowled out for just 179. Jake Fraser-McGurk fought a lone battle, with a defiant 84 from 97 balls at the top of the order.
Wickets tumbled around him though as Seales (four for 49) and Matthew Forde (three for 24) ran riot. Patrick Rowe struck 40 to give the young Aussies a sniff, but 179 was well below par.
Windies slipped to 92 for five in the chase, thanks chiefly to a fine spell of leg-spin bowling by Tanveer Sangha whose promise has already seen him feature in the Big Bash League.
His four for 30 ran the Windies desperately close, and they breathed a sigh of relief when his allocation came to an end.
Beyond the mystery of Sangha, West Indies found comfort through Young’s mature knock and got home with three overs and as many wickets to spare.
Tigers defy Zimbabwe in opener
Bangladesh had to withstand bad weather, loss of overs and a determined Zimbabwe but still managed to start their Group C campaign with a towering nine-wicket win at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom.
Zimbabwe put up 137 for six in 28.1 overs before rain had its say.
It proved tough to pace an innings, but contributions from Milton Shumba (28), Emmanuel Bawa (27) and Dane Schadendorf (22 not out) were supplemented by Tadiwanashe Marumani’s 31 from 33 balls.
With their innings halted, Zimbabwe looked to restrict the Tigers with ball in hand.
But Bangladesh came out all guns blazing, with Tanzid Hasan smacking 32 off just ten balls with three sixes and as many fours.
Parvez Hossain’s 58 not out from 33 balls was just as brutal, and the game was over in a hurry.
“It was exactly what we wanted. We wanted the two points from the first match,” Bangladesh captain Akbar Ali said.
“It was a brilliant start from both the openers. There is some room for improvement on our bowling, and we need to get our lengths right.”
Mahmadul Hasan notched 38 not out to finish things off, with the young Tigers reaching the revised target of 130 in just 11.2 overs.
UAE off to perfect start
Jonathon Figy struck a perfectly-paced century to guide UAE to a confident victory over Canada in their Group D opener in Bloemfontein.
Figy notched 102 not out to see his side home with 68 balls to spare in pursuit of a target of 232.
“The mindset today was getting through 50 overs. We knew if we batted 50 overs we would get the target, so we played with a positive mindset,” he said.
“I’ve played a couple of one-day internationals coming in and I was using some of that experience and form coming into this game. A century in the first match is a good feeling.”
Canada posted 231 for eight in their 50 overs with some stout contributions from Mihir Patel and Randhir Sandhu (35), who combined for 82 for the first wicket.
Patel was then joined by Akhil Kumar (30), and they looked to be building towards a testing target but Patel was run out for 90 after sharp work from Ossam Hassan and the innings stuttered.
Muhammad Kamal lifted the tempo with 31 from 17 balls at the end, but Canada felt they’d fallen short.
In response, Figy was exceptional. His 101-ball stay was studded by 13 boundaries and a six, underlying his class at this level.
Skipper Aryan Lakra was a perfect foil with a steady 66 and the chase was unhurried, with the UAE getting home before the 40th over.
Kiwis frustrated by rain
New Zealand and Japan shared a point each after their Group A opener was abandoned because of rain in Potchefstroom.
Having been sent in to bat first, the Kiwis were 195 for two from 28.5 overs when persistent rain forced the match to be called off in the afternoon by umpires Sam Nogajski and Iknow Chabi.
They had made a good start – anchored by Rhys Mariu (51) and Oli White (80) – before both batsmen fell in quick succession after having piled up a century opening stand.
Fergus Lellman (37 not out) and Beckham Wheeler-Greenall were still at the crease when the players were forced off the field.
The Japanese, who are playing in the tournament for the first time, will next face India in their next round-robin group fixture at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
Japan captain Ashley Thurgate said: “It’s good that we got to play against New Zealand. We won’t forget this day for the rest of our lives.
“Unfortunately, we could not finish the game but standing on the field for a World Cup match was just amazing.”
The New Zealanders will take on Sri Lanka at the same venue on Sunday, with White pleased that his team showed fluent batting form in their opening match.
“We started off alright,” said White. “Rhys and myself got a pretty good start. Hopefully that continue to the next match and for the rest of the tournament.”
Scores in Brief
West Indies Under 19s beat Australia Under 19s by three wickets, Diamond Oval, Kimberley
Australia 179, 35.4 overs (Jake Fraser-McGurk 84, Patrick Rowe 40; Jayden Seales 4-49, Matthew Forde 3-24)
West Indies 180-7, 46 overs (Nyeem Young 61; Tanveer Sangha 4-30)
Bangladesh Under 19s beat Zimbabwe Under 19s by nine wickets (DLS method), JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
Zimbabwe 137-6, 28.1 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 31, Milton Shumba 28, Emmanuel Bawa 27; Shamim Hossain 1-23)
Bangladesh 132-1, 11.2 overs (Parvez Hossain 58, Mahmudul Hasan 38; Dion Myers 1-26)
New Zealand Under 19s vs Japan Under 19s – no result, North West University Oval, Potchefstroom
New Zealand 195-2, 28.5 overs (Oli White 80, Rhys Mariu 51; Yugandhar Rethareka 1-17)
Japan did not bat
United Arab Emirates Under 19s beat Canada Under-19s by eight wickets, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein
Canada 231-8, 50 overs (Mihir Patel 90, Randhir Sandhu 35, Muhammad Kamal 31; Sanchit Sharma 3-42)
UAE 232-2, 38.4 overs (Jonathan Figy 102 not out, Aryan Lakra 66; Muhammad Kamal 1-27)
