Of all the important partnerships that Joshua Da Silva featured in during the West Indies successful Test series against Bangladesh, there was one that the Trinidadian wicketkeeper-batsman said he enjoyed the most.
During the two-Test series, the impressive young batsman scored 174 runs at an average of 43.5 and featured in several key partnerships that were ultimately crucial to the success of the West Indies.
In the first Test at Chattogram, Da Silva added 99 for the sixth wicket with Jermaine Blackwood which helped his side get past the follow-on score after Bangladesh has scored 430 in their first innings and then had the West Indies struggling at 154 for 5.
Then in the second Test after Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner put together 216 runs, he and Mayers added another 100 for the sixth wicket that took the West Indies within sight of victory while chasing a challenging 395.
He and Bonner also put on 88 in the second Test match that rescued the visitors from 178 for 5.
In those crucial knocks, Da Silva said there was a common important factor.
“Batting time. With Mayers, I just wanted to stay there with him. I was basically a spectator, but that was the job necessary to achieve the team goal,” he said. “Bonner and I bat well together, just because we fully back each other’s ability.”
Da Silva also featured in a 118-run seventh-wicket stand with Alzarri Joseph in the second Test that swung the pendulum towards the West Indies.
Joseph scored 71 runs in the partnership but it was Da Silva’s presence at the other end that provided that sense of security that the West Indies relied so heavily on. It was only part of the reason why he said he enjoyed that partnership with the West Indies No. 9 batsman the most.
“I have to say that my favourite partnership was with Alzarri,” he said. “The way he came out and took it to the bowlers without fear was great to be a part of.”
Joseph belted eight fours and five sixes in his knock of 82 that took the West Indies to 409 all out, laying the platform for their eventual 17-run victory.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
A new era: Women's T20 World Cup champions to receive equal prize money as male counterparts
The upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup will be the first ICC event where women will receive the same prize money as their male counterparts, marking a significant milestone in the sport’s history.
This decision was taken at the ICC Annual Conference in July last year, when the ICC Board took the step of reaching its prize money equity target seven years ahead of its schedule of 2030, making cricket the only major team sport to have equal prize money for its men’s and women’s World Cup events.
For the upcoming October 3-20 tournament, which will now be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the winners of the tournament will receive US$2.34 million, a massive, 134 per cent increase on the $1 million awarded to Australia when they clinched the title in South Africa last year. The runners-up will receive US$1.17 million, up from $500,000, while the two losing semi-finalists will earn US$675,000, up from $210,000, with the overall prize pot totalling US$7,958,080, a massive increase on the US$2.45 million dished out last year.
This move is in line with the ICC’s strategy to prioritise the women’s game and accelerate its growth by 2032. Teams will now receive equal prize money for the equivalent finishing position at comparable events as well as the same amount for winning a match at those events. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 event prize money is only higher on account of 10 additional teams participating and 32 more matches played.
Each win during the group stages will see teams take home US$31,154, while the six teams who fail to reach the semi-finals will share a pool of US$1.35 million depending on their finishing positions.
In comparison, the equivalent pool for the six teams in 2023 was US$180,000, shared equally. Teams who finish third or fourth in their group will take US$270,000 each, while the teams who finish fifth in their group will both receive US$135,000.
All 10 participating teams are assured of US$112,500.
The increase in prize money for this year's ICC Women’s T20 World Cup comes in line with the prize pot for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, also increasing to US$3.5 million in total.
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will get going on October 3, with Bangladesh taking on Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
There has been a minor change to the schedule for the double-header on Saturday, October 5, in Sharjah, with Australia now facing Sri Lanka in the curtain-raiser and Bangladesh will lock horns with England in the feature encounter. A total of 10 teams will play 23 matches in Dubai and Sharjah to decide the 2024 champions.
England's cautious approach to managing Jofra Archer during Australia ODI Series
England will continue to take a cautious approach to managing Jofra Archer's workload during the upcoming five-match One Day International (ODI) series against Australia. The Barbados-born fast bowler, who has been steadily reintroduced to international cricket following a series of injuries, will be closely monitored throughout the series, according to a report from ESPN Cricinfo.
Archer's return to the international stage has been managed with great care this year. After making his comeback with two T20 Internationals against Pakistan in May, he featured in all eight of England's matches during June's T20 World Cup, where he emerged as their joint-highest wicket-taker. However, since then, his playing time has been carefully limited. He did not play at all for Sussex in the latter half of the T20 Blast's group stages and was given intermittent rest periods during The Hundred, much to the frustration of Southern Brave captain James Vince.
Since The Hundred, Archer has only played two matches: a T20 Blast quarter-final for Sussex and one T20I for England against Australia, where he showcased his skill at the death by clean-bowling Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett in consecutive deliveries. He was rested for the second T20I in Cardiff, and the series decider was washed out by rain in Manchester. Despite these limited appearances, Archer has consistently proven why England has invested heavily in his recovery and return.
Archer is now part of England's 15-man squad for the ODI series against Australia, starting in Nottingham. However, given that he has not played a 50-over game in the last 18 months, he may be rested for one or two matches in the series. England is taking a gradual approach to increasing his workload, especially considering his long-term ambitions to return to red-ball cricket. Archer has not played a first-class match since May 2021 due to his persistent back and elbow issues.
"Jofra will have to be managed throughout the series," England captain Jos Buttler told Sky Sports on Sunday. "He's played a really good stint now of T20 cricket, but obviously you can only bowl four overs in there. There's a jump in intensity getting loads up to taking full part in an ODI - and of course, as an England fan, to push those loads up hopefully to get back into the Test arena as well."
England's interim coach, Marcus Trescothick, echoed Buttler's sentiments, emphasizing that Archer is aware of and comfortable with the long-term plan to manage his workload. "He knows the plan," Trescothick said. "It's discussed long in advance of picking the team on each day. We know what we're doing with him, and where we're going. He's comfortable: he knows what he's doing."
Trescothick further explained that managing Archer's workload is part of a broader strategy, involving coordination between the coaching staff, team directors, and medical personnel. "That's a bigger structure, in terms of what we're trying to do with Jofra. You come into the series knowing what we've got and what we can do with him. That's an agreed plan between the coaches, directors, physios, and all the different people. We'll still be managing him [in the ODIs] - exactly the same thing."
England's cautious approach to Archer's reintegration into international cricket reflects the value they place on his long-term fitness. With Archer having already shown glimpses of his match-winning capabilities, his careful management during the ODI series against Australia aims to ensure he remains a key asset for England in all formats of the game for years to come.
Republic Bank CPL to support Hurricane Beryl relief efforts
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be making a US$50,000 contribution to support tertiary level students who have had their last year of education significantly disrupted, following the horrendous impact of Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Th disaster has had a massive impact on the lives of all residents in the northern parts of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique and has left students needing considerable support to complete their education.
The CPL’s donation will support students with accommodation, meals, transportation and school supplies while they continue their studies at T.A. Marryshow Community College. In addition, the CPL will be making a commitment to bring a number of these students to the CPL in 2025 to work as interns at the event to further help with their professional development as they consider their future career options.
Pete Russell, CPL’s CEO, said: “Everyone at CPL has been touched by the impact that Beryl has had across the region, and we are pleased that we are able to play our part by supporting these students as they complete their studies and look to a bright future ahead. Supporting the youth of the Caribbean is hugely important to us and we look forward to hearing of the progress of these students and welcoming them to the tournament next year where we are certain they will find working with the CPL team a hugely rewarding experience.”
Prime Minister of Grenada, the Honourable Dickon Mitchell, said: “We are very grateful for the support that Republic Bank CPL is giving to our young people as they look to rebuild their lives following the massive impact of Hurricane Beryl on Grenada. This support means that they can recover from the immediate impact of this disaster and focus solely on continuing their studies.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
