Former Jamaica and West Indies spinner, Nikita Miller is to open his cricket academy later this month.
The 4Milla Academy set to begin operations on Saturday, November 13, intends to target young boys and girls of ages five-18, helping them develop into the next set of young cricketers.
The Academy will be based at the Melbourne Cricket Club in Kingston.
“This is something I have been thinking about prior to my retirement. I want to give back and this is a progressive environment for the youngsters,” said Miller, who is currently pursuing the Level III Coaches course, coordinated by Cricket West Indies.
Once open, the academy will host sessions ranging from 60 - 90 minutes and will focus on three main groups of girls and boys. The beginners, five to 10 years old, will have one session starting at 9:30 am; while the intermediates and juniors, will have 90-minute sessions that start at 11:00 am.
Miller, 39, played one Test for the West Indies against Bangladesh in 2009 as well as 50 One Day Internationals and took 45 wickets after making his debut against Australia in July 2008. He played his last ODI for the West Indies against Afghanistan in March 2018.
However, it is at the First Class level that Miller shone brightest taking 538 wickets.
He is currently a part of the coaching staff of the Trinbago Knight Riders and works occasionally with the Jamaican team.
Pollard, Russell overlooked for The Hundred, Oval Invincibles select Narine
Neither Kieron Pollard nor Andre Russell were picked up during the The Hundred Player Draft took place on Thursday, March 23. The successful short-format competition is in its third season and is set to bowl off on August 1 and conclude on August 27.
Despite their power-hitting prowess and propensity for being on winning teams in T20 franchise cricket across the globe, neither player was considered to be good enough for any of the eight Hundred teams.
They were not the only big names to be overlooked as two of the best batters in the world - Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan – were also overlooked by the teams’ selectors.
However, Sunil Narine had much better fortune. He was picked up by the Oval Invincibles and is the only West Indian player in The Hundred for the third season.
Mumbai Indians to meet Delhi Capitals in inaugural WPL final after dominant 72-run win over UP Warriorz in Eliminator
Nat Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten 72 to lead the Mumbai Indians to the final of the inaugural Women’s Premier League after a 72-run win over the UP Warriorz in the eliminator at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai on Friday.
The Indians batted first after losing the toss and posted 182-5 in their 20 overs.
Sciver-Brunt’s knock 72* lasted only 38 deliveries and included nine fours and two sixes.
Amelia Kerr and Hayley Matthews also made valuable contributions with 29 and 26, respectively, against 2-39 from Sophie Ecclestone.
The Warriorz reply was a tame one as Kiran Navgire, with 43, was the only meaningful contributor as they were bowled out for 110 in only 17.4 overs.
Issy Wong led the way with the ball for the Indians with 4-15, including a hat trick, while Saika Ishaque took 2-24 from 2.4 overs.
The Mumbai Indians will now play the Delhi Capitals in the final at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.
Markram and Powell plotting winning starts to T20I tenures
A new era will start for both South Africa and West Indies when Aiden Markram and Rovman Powell lead the sides in the opening Twenty20 International match of the series on Saturday.
Markram this month replaced Temba Bavuma as captain, with the Test and one-day international skipper axed from the T20I squad.
The opener at SuperSport Park will also be the first T20I since Rob Walter took over as white-ball head coach and comes on the back of a 1-1 ODI series draw with the Windies.
Markram was given the honour of captaining his country in only his third ODI back in 2018, when Faf du Plessis was absent along with other senior players.
The batter felt that opportunity came too soon and believes the experience he has gained since then should stand him in good stead.
He said: "I was quite fresh back then. I was very hard on myself, and always wanted to do well and we know this sport, it doesn't always work out that way."
Markram added: "Being with the legendary team the Proteas had at the time, I paid attention to how Faf managed to marshal his troops.
"That is something I looked up to and strived for probably without him knowing, it was just through me observing from the side."
It will also be a special weekend for Powell in Centurion, where there will be a double-header before the series ends with a contest at JB Marks Oval Potchefstroom on Tuesday.
Powell was selected as the man to replace Nicholas Pooran, who stepped down after the T20 World Cup in Australia last November.
South Africa will be looking to take the momentum from a record-breaking series-levelling ODI win over the Windies in which Heinrich Klaasen was the star of the show.
Klaasen struck 119 off 61 balls as the Proteas chased down their victory target of 261 in just 29.3 overs in Potchefstroom, becoming the first team to score 250 or more to win in under 30 overs.
De Kock set to move level with De Villiers
Wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock is set to go joint-third on the list of the highest appearance-makers for the Proteas in T20Is, as he is currently one behind AB de Villiers' tally of 78.
De Kock has enjoyed facing West Indies in the shortest format, scoring half-centuries in each of his past three knocks.
Windies away form must be addressed
West Indies have won only one of their past 15 T20Is on tour, that coming against Zimbabwe last October.
Facing South Africa could present a good opportunity to address that poor record, as the Proteas have lost four multi-game bilateral T20I series at home – that is their longest losing run in this format.
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