Jamaica women
Jamaica's women extended their unbeaten run and, by extension, inched closer to copping the Women’s T20 Blaze title, after the hammered Trinidad and Tobago women by eight wickets at Warner Park in St Kitts and Nevis on Saturday.
The lopsided victory underscored the Jamaicans rich vein of form as they close in on adding this T20 crown to their Super50 Cup honours. With three consecutive wins under their belts, the Stafanie Taylor-captained team entered the contest with their tails high and they restricted Trinidad and Tobago to 98 for eight off their 20 overs.
Natasha McLean's brisk 34-ball 41 then saw the Jamaicans to their target with 17 balls to spare.
Scores: Trinidad and Tobago women 98-8 (20 overs); Jamaica women 99-2 (1.7.1 overs)
In her usual aggressive style, McLean shared in a match-winning partnership with Rashada Williams (29), while Chedean Nation, who ended unbeaten on 21.
McLean struck eight fours in her inning, as she first put on a 48-run opening stand with Williams, who had two fours in her 41-ball knock. After Mclean fell, Williams put on another 47-run partnership with Nation to ensure victory.
Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago were held together by a courageous unbeaten 44 from their captain and opener Britney Cooper, one of only two players to reach double figures.
She faced 53 balls and struck four fours, but she lacked support as wickets tumbled around her. In fact, a 23-run, fifth-wicket stand with Karishma Ramharack (15) proved the best of the innings.
Off-spinner Vanessa Watts led the Jamaica attack with three for 10, while seamer Chinelle Henry (2-19) and off-spinner Taylor (2-31) finished with two wickets apiece.
Reggae Boyz seal Nations League quarterfinal berth with goalless stalemate against Honduras
Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz closed out their Group B Concacaf Nations League campaign with a goalless stalemate against Honduras at the National Stadium on Monday night.
While their performance wasn’t the most impressive in terms of flair or attacking threat, the Jamaicans did enough to finish atop the League A group on eight points to secure a quarterfinals berth.
Honduras, who placed second on seven points, also advanced to the next stage of the competition. Nicaragua (seven points), Trinidad and Tobago (five points), Cuba (three points), and French Guiana (one point) complete the group.
Jamaica and Honduras now join Concacaf’s top-ranked teams, United States, Panama, Mexico, and Canada, in the knockout round, with the top two finishers in Group A—to be decided on Tuesday—set to meet them there.
The Jamaicans entered the game aiming to build on their 2-0 win over Nicaragua just days earlier, but found themselves stifled in the final third, particularly in the first half.
In fact, it was a slow start by both teams, as they took some time to settle into their respective game plans to prove an attacking threat in open play. The Reggae Boyz moreso displayed patience in an attempt to efficiently execute the possession-based style play desired by Head coach Steve McClaren.
However, while they tried to work out how to break down Honduras' low block tactics in midfield, the visitors launched a few good counterattacks from which they should have piled misery on the Boyz, but for a lack of quality in the final third.
Honduras had eight shots at goal in the first half, compared to Jamaica’s solitary effort, which came in the 33rd when an unmarked Ethan Pinnock fired wide from Demarai Gray's corner kick.
Prior to that, Honduras' first warning shot came in the seventh minute from Edwin Rodriguez, whose right-footer from a distance was easily palmed down by Andre Blake.
Three minutes later, a short pass by Mason Holgate was picked up by Honduras and almost proved costly. Luckily for the Boyz, Joel Latibeaudiere recovered well to avert the danger.
Though they bossed possession, the Reggae Boyz struggled to convert their dominance into clear-cut scoring opportunities, leaving fans at the National Stadium craving more attacking dynamism.
This, as Honduras continued to show more purpose in the attacking third and kept Blake busy, as Jorge Alvarez's 21st-minute shot from the top of the 18-yard box went straight at the Philadelphia Union goaltender.
In the 32nd, Holgate again gave up possession to Antony Lozano, who went on the break, but the Honduran, sporting the number nine jersey and the captain's armband, muffed his effort and gave the Jamaicans a reprieve.
Lozano went on another break in the 38th, but again lacked composure where it mattered most as he slammed a rushed right-footer into the sidenetting.
The Jamaicans were more spirited on the resumption, especially with the introduction of Renaldo Cephas and Kaheim Dixon. Both fleet-footed attackers combined well at times with Michail Antonio and Gray, but their hunt for the go-head goal proved fruitless.
Dixon went close in the 69th when he drove a right-footer along the turf, but the effort went just wide of the right upright.
The former Clarendon College and Arnett Gardens stalwart, who now plies his trade at Charlton Athletic, applied pressure in the 79th and went down in a challenge for possession with Honduras' goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar. However, his appeal for a penalty was waved off by American referee Armando Villarreal.
Honduras' best effort of the half came in the 80th when Kervin Arriaga lashed a stinging left-footed drive from about 20 yards out, but it was tipped over by Blake, who produced another steady performance between the posts, to not only keep a clean sheet but, more importantly, demonstrate the calm leadership he's known for.
CWI inducts first West Indies Men’s Academy cohort to be based In Antigua & Barbuda full-time
Cricket West Indies (CWI) hosted an official Induction Ceremony for the third cohort of the Men’s Academy on Monday.
The ceremony, held on 11 October 2024 at CWI Headquarters at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua & Barbuda, marked a significant milestone as this cohort is the first to be based in Antigua & Barbuda full-time for their year of training and development.
The 18 young men in attendance were addressed by West Indies cricket legend Courtney Walsh, an esteemed group of technical staff, cricket professionals, including CWI Director Enoch Lewis and CWI Chief Operating Officer Lynford Inverary.
In his opening remarks, Inverary emphasized the importance of the academy in developing the next generation of West Indies cricketers, saying,
“CWI has invested in you because we believe you are worth the investment. You are the future of West Indies cricket. This is not a one-off investment; it’s part of our long-term commitment to creating a high-performance system that ensures West Indies cricket thrives on the global stage.”
He encouraged the players to rise to the challenge and remember that they are not just representing themselves but their families, countries, and the entire region.
Cricket legend Walsh was greeted with a standing ovation by the enthusiastic players, who were bowled over by his record-breaking accomplishments on the pitch.
Walsh, who still holds the West Indies record for highest Test wicket-taker (519), shared his unique perspective as a former player and left the young men with thirteen key points to consider.
Of those points, he emphasised fitness, which allowed him to once bowl an extraordinary 45 consecutive overs in one innings; the importance of constantly learning about the game, which he does to this day; striving for excellence in Test cricket as a foundation for mastering all formats of the game; and finally, to always enjoy themselves and this unique journey.
Enoch Lewis, CWI Board Member and Chairman of the Cricket Performance and Development Committee, also delivered a powerful address, highlighting the pride and responsibility of wearing the West Indies crest. He reminded the young players that they are part of a legacy that extends beyond the field.
Ramesh Subasinghe, Head Coach of the West Indies Men’s Academy, and CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe, outlined the year’s curriculum which, in addition to on-the-field training, focuses on skill development, personal growth, and leadership training.
Men’s Academy
The Men’s Academy continues to play a vital role in developing young cricketers, with three graduates from the previous cohort already securing franchise contracts. The programme offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes on-field skill enhancement and off-field elements like leadership training and media engagement.
In addition to the Men’s Academy, CWI also operates a Women’s Academy, with training camps being held in Antigua & Barbuda and across other territories. This parallel programme is part of CWI’s broader commitment to youth development and aims to prepare the next generation of women cricketers for success on the international stage. Both programmes reflect CWI's dedication to building a legacy of excellence in West Indies cricket, for both men and women.
2024/25 Men’s Academy Players:
Pope's exposure to captaincy will help England, says returning Stokes
Ben Stokes believes Ollie Pope's brief foray into Test captaincy will be beneficial for England in the future ahead of his return to the fold against Pakistan.
Pope captained England in the absence of Stokes, leading his side to three victories from four matches, which included their 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka last month.
The 21-year-old also helped England seal a record-breaking innings and 47-run triumph over Pakistan in the first of their three-match series in Multan.
Stokes injured his hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred in August, but replaces Chris Woakes for the second Test after fully recovering.
Matthew Potts comes in for Gus Atkinson, though Stokes is confident that Pope's time being a top-order batter alongside the captaincy will stand him in good stead in the future.
"Authority, just that word in itself, can come across a bit like a dictator. No one in that dressing room certainly is that," Stokes told Sky Sports.
"I said it before when asked about this, being stand-in captain is harder than being captain because you know you are only doing it for a certain amount of games, and you are trying to still push forward what the current captain is doing.
"Popey has been involved under my captaincy from day one, so there was a lot of easy and natural ways to continue doing that, but what he also did was put his own stamp on things which were massively encouraged by myself and Baz [McCullum].
"For such a young player who has got quite a lot of experience now, having that exposure to being a top-order batter, but also captain will be really, really good for him in the long-term and I think he has done a great job.
"His winning percentage is better than mine. I think - winning three out of four Tests - he has done a great job and should be very proud of what he has achieved while I have been injured."
While Stokes allowed Pope to take the reins, he was in and around the camp throughout his recovery, ensuring his influence was still heard in the dressing room.
He watched on as Joe Root, who overtook Alastair Cook as England's highest Test run-scorer of all time, and Harry Brook led their revival against Pakistan on day four.
Root's knock of 262 was his sixth double-century, and in the same innings, shared an England record stand of 454 with Brook - breaking Peter May and Colin Cowdrey's 67-year record of 411 at Edgbaston in 1957.
Despite watching on the sidelines during the home series against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Pakistan, Stokes is sure the England players are buying into the message he and head coach Brendon McCullum are trying to convey.
"When you are out in the middle, there are a few things you don't get the chance to see or observe because you are thinking about other things," Stokes said.
"But when you are actually sitting on the sidelines, you realise how committed everyone out on the field is to the very small things that me and Baz ask of everyone.
"Running after the ball to the boundary, backing the bowlers up, all the small things that in the bigger picture mean a hell of a lot.
"When the bowlers are bowling in this heat and see the ball hit through the field and someone sprinting chasing after it to stop a boundary, pulling out a dive.
"They don't always get there, but it is that sense that we are all in it together which is one of the most notable things for me, especially when you are the person trying to deliver those words."
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