Johnson Charles raises his bat after bringing up his record-breaking 39-ball hundred in the second T20I against South Africa on Sunday.
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South Africa and the West Indies played one of the most amazing games of cricket you will ever see at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday.
In the second of three T20Is, the two teams combined for a record 517 runs including 81 boundaries and 35 sixes as the hosts needed just 18.5 overs to chase down a mammoth 258 set by the West Indies.
The catalyst behind the West Indies’ massive total was an innings from top-order batsman Johnson Charles that can only be described as special.
The 34-year-old right-hander, batting at number three, eclipsed Chris Gayle’s record for fastest T20I hundred for the West Indies, 47 balls against England at the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup, when he brought up his maiden T20I century off just 39 balls.
Charles eventually made 118 off 46 balls including 10 fours and 11 sixes. He said the key to his innings was understanding the conditions.
“You know as a batsman, with such a good pitch and such a small ground, that you don’t have to over-hit the ball. I think that was one of the key points that all the batsmen had in the back of their minds,” he said in a press conference after the game.
This continues a remarkable career resurgence for the St. Lucian, who was a member of the victorious West Indian sides at the 2012 and 2016 ICC T20 World Cups.
After representing the regional side in a three-match T20I series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2016, Charles was dropped, with many writing him off completely.
“I think being out of the T20 side for six years definitely allowed me to do some soul searching and see where I’ve been going wrong,” Charles said.
After six years on the outside looking in, Charles finally got a second chance to don the West Indian colors when he was, surprisingly to many, selected for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in Australia after an excellent 2022 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which saw him finish as the third-highest run-scorer with 345 runs in nine innings, including four fifties.
Charles played two games at the World Cup and recorded scores of 45 and 22 against Zimbabwe and Ireland, respectively.
Earlier this year, he played an integral role in leading the Comilla Victorians to their fourth Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title, making 308 runs in nine innings, including a century and a fifty.
“I’ve gone back to the basics,” was Charles’ response to questions about how he has revived his batting.
“I made sure I have those down pat. Just coming back, it’s worked for me and, going forward, I’m just going to have to make sure that I keep focusing on the basics. If I continue doing that then I’ll keep on having great innings,” Charles added.
Hopefully, Charles can continue this form when the West indies take on the South Africans in the decisive third T20I at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Roston Chase to be captain West Indies 'A' squad named for historic Nepal tour
Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel has unveiled the 15-member squad for the West Indies Men’s A Team set to tour Nepal from April 25th to May 15th, 2024.
Led by the experienced Roston Chase as Captain and supported by Alick Athanaze as Vice-Captain, the West Indies Men’s A Team will engage in a series of five (5) Twenty20 matches against the Nepal Senior Men’s Team. This tour holds significant importance as it serves as another phase in preparation leading up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The series also marks a historic occasion as it is West Indies' first-ever tour to Nepal.
Roston Chase will take on the responsibility of captain for the first time at this level. Commenting on Chase’s selection as Captain, Dr. The Most Honorable Desmond Haynes, CWI’s Lead Selector, emphasized Chase’s consistent display of diligence and leadership skills. Dr. Haynes remarked, “Chase has exhibited over the past few years an impressive work ethic and proven leadership qualities” He further noted, “No doubt since Chase made his T20I debut in October 2021, for the West Indies against Bangladesh he has continued to make considerable strides.”
Brandon King sustained an injury during the West Indies Championship and is rehabilitating. Meanwhile, Evin Lewis advised that he was unavailable for selection.
Dr. Haynes further emphasized the significance of this squad stating “I am confident this Nepal tour marks a crucial step forward in our preparatory phase for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. It presents an invaluable opportunity to get our players who are not in the IPL back on the park playing competitive T20 cricket as well as provides the chance for us to expose a few emerging prospects.”
In preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, White Ball Head Coach, Daren Sammy said “From a coaching perspective, the Nepal tour couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. It offers us a chance to refine our World Cup squad, defining roles and personnel more clearly. Additionally, with nine players in the IPL, we can truly gauge and push the limits of our T20 team’s depth.”
The tour’s opening T20 fixture will bowl off at Tribhuvan University on April 27th, 2024.
FULL SQUAD:
Roston Chase (Captain)
Alick Athanaze (Vice-Captain)
Fabian Allen
Kadeem Alleyne
Joshua Bishop
Keacy Carty
Johnson Charles
Mark Deyal
Andre Fletcher
Matthew Forde
Obed McCoy
Gudakesh Motie
Keemo Paul
Oshane Thomas
Hayden Walsh
The coaching and support staff accompanying the squad are as follows:
Head Coach: Floyd Reifer
Assistant Coach: Rayon Griffith
Physiotherapist: Neil Barry
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Shayne Cooper
Team Manager & Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram
The deadline for submission of the West Indies World Cup squad is May 1, 2024. Prior to the World Cup, the West Indies team will host South Africa for a 3-match T20 series from May 22 - 26, 2024.
Seales' match figures of 6-90 help Sussex to tense four-wicket win over Gloucestershire
West Indian pacer Jayden Seales was once again a key contributor to help Sussex defeat Gloucestershire by four wickets in their third round County Championship Division Two tussle at Hove from April 19-22.
Gloucestershire looked to be in the driver’s seat after piling up 417 off 108.5 overs after being put in to bat.
James Bracey (69), Ben Charlesworth (62), Zafar Gohar (60) and Miles Hammond (56) all hit fifties for Gloucestershire against 3-69 off 20 overs from Danny Lamb, 3-78 off 16.5 overs from Jack Carson and 2-72 from 24 overs from Seales.
Cheteshwar Pujara (86), Tom Alsop (84), and Danny Lamb (83) then all narrowly missed out on centuries at Sussex wrestled back momentum with a massive 479 off 135.5 overs in their first innings.
Captain John Simpson and Tom Clark also hit fifties with 78 and 53, respectively. Dominic Goodman and Zafar Gohar took three wickets each for Gloucestershire.
With a lead of 62, Sussex, on the back of some excellent bowling from Jayden Seales, restricted Gloucestershire to 205 in 85.2 overs.
In 16.5 overs, Seales conceded just 18 runs and took four wickets. Jack Carson provided good supports with 3-45 from 25 overs.
Mile Hammond and Zafar Gohar both hit their second half centuries of the game with 77 and 52, respectively.
Cheteshwar Pujara then anchored the successful chase for Sussex with 44* as they reached 144-6 in 37.4 overs.
Gohar completed a fine all-round performance with 5-59 from 18.4 overs.
Full Scores: Gloucestershire 417 off 108.5 overs (James Bracey 69, Ben Charlesworth 62, Zafar Gohar 60, Miles Hammond 56, Danny Lamb 3-69, Jack Carson 3-78, Jayden Seales 2-72) & 205 off 85.2 overs (Miles Hammond 77, Zafar Gohar 52, Jayden Seales 4-18, Jack Carson 3-45)
Sussex 479 off 135.5 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 86, Tom Alsop 84, Danny Lamb 83, John Simpson 78, Tom Clark 53, Dominic Goodman 3-79, Zafar Gohar 3-139) & 144-6 off 37.4 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 44, Zafar Gohar 5-59)
Defending champions Surrey ease past Kent at Canterbury
Defending champions Surrey recorded their first win of the Vitality County Championship season as they knocked over Kent by an innings and 37 runs on the final day at Canterbury.
Resuming in search of five wickets for victory, the Brown Caps endured a pocket of resistance in the shape of Joey Evison’s 53 and Matt Parkinson’s career-best 39 before dismissing the hosts for 262 on the fourth afternoon.
Spinner Cameron Steel took two more to finish with three for 38, cementing his spot as the country’s leading wicket taker after three rounds with 20 scalps, and Dan Worrall returned four for 31.
After two rain-affected draws, Surrey took a maximum 24 points back the Kia Oval to move second in Division One behind Essex.
At Taunton, persistent showers prevented Nottinghamshire pair Joe Clarke and Will Young adding to a mammoth partnership of 392 in a draw against Somerset.
Just nine overs were possible before the washout was confirmed, leaving Clarke 213 not out and New Zealand’s Young 174no in their county’s record third-wicket stand. Play was abandoned after lunch, with the away side 440 for two in their second innings.
At the Utilita Bowl, Warwickshire and Hampshire put the finishing touches to another rain-ruined draw.
With no real prospect of a positive result, Bears opener Rob Yates took his chance to compile an unbeaten 84 that means he, partner Alex Davies and number three Will Rhodes all average more than 100 for the season.
Liam Dawson took two wickets to take his match haul to seven for Hampshire, who saw the visitors put up 205 for four before the handshakes.
In Division Two, Sussex got over the line against Gloucestershire as Cheteshwar Pujara withstood the best efforts of Pakistan’s Zafar Gohar.
The India Test star had the calmest head in Hove as he notched an undefeated 44 to see his side to a target of 144. Six of his team-mates did not survive the chase, left-arm spinner Gohar claiming five for 59 to keep the home team on their toes.
Pujara remained until the job was done, earning a four-wicket win, with West Indies quick Jayden Seales earlier finishing with four for 18 as Gloucestershire were rounded up for 205.
Leicestershire’s hopes of a victory push against Derbyshire were also frustrated by the weather, with no play possible on Monday. Derbyshire survived six down and 183 behind in the second innings, but took just one point to the Foxes’ eight.
It was a similar story for Northamptonshire, who were unable to turn their first-innings declaration on 605 for six into a win over Glamorgan at Wantage Road.
The teams hung around until 4pm awaiting a start time that never came, with the Welsh side closing 230 behind on 104 for three.
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