In a bizarre game of fluctuating fortunes at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in which a bowler took a hat-trick and then got hit it for six sixes in an over, the West Indies battled to a four-wicket win against Sri Lanka with 41 balls to spare.
Chasing a modest total of 132, the West Indies, who took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, started strong as Evin Lewis hit three sixes off the first over bowled by Angelo Matthews that yielded 19 runs.
However, in the fourth over with the home side sailing merrily along at 52 without loss, the match evolved into an even more entertaining spectacle.
Lendl Simmons had hit a six and a four off from the first two balls of the third over bowled by Dushmantha Chameera that yielded 14 runs. At the end of the over West Indies were 48-0 but it was the start of the most bizarre period of play in the match.
It all began with Lewis hitting Akila Dananjaya’s first ball of the fourth over for four as the West Indies raced to 52-0.
Lewis was caught in the deep for 28 off Dananjaya’s second ball, Gayle was trapped lbw first ball before Nicholas Pooran’s wicket completed the hat-trick caught behind off a thin edge. In three balls the West Indies had slipped from 52-0 to 52-3.
Lendl Simmons hit a six and a four before Hasangara de Silva trapped him lbw for 26. The West Indies were then 62 for 4.
There was another dramatic twist in over number six, Dananjaya’s third.
With Captain Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder at the crease and the West Indies still needing 70 runs, Pollard went on the offensive hitting the spinner for six consecutive sixes rushing to 38 from 10 balls.
The match would swing again in the seventh when Hasangara trapped Pollard lbw for 38 and then Fabian Allen for a duck with consecutive balls as both players failed to read the spinner.
Dwayne Bravo, who was unbeaten on four at the end, survived the hat-trick ball and together with Holder, who was 29 not out, produced an unbroken stand of 31 after Holder drove Pradeep for six over long-on to seal the victory.
Hasangara ended with 3-12. Dananjaya’s figures that read 3-17 after two overs ended with 3-62.
Pollard had won the toss and put Sri Lanka into bat. The visitors lost their first wicket at 20 when Pollard diving to his right pulled off a spectacular catch at short midwicket to dismiss Danushka Gunathilaka for four and hand debutant Kevin Sinclair his first international wicket.
Niroshan Dickwella (33) and Pathum Nissanka (39) put on 51 for the second wicket but there were no other noteworthy partnerships for the Sri Lankans who crawled to 132 for 9 from their allotment of 20 overs.
Obed McCoy was the best of the West Indies bowlers with 2-25 and there was a wicket each for Jason Holder, Allen, Sinclair, Dwayne Bravo and Fidel Edwards, who bowled tight lines and lengths, hardly giving anything away to the Sri Lankan batsmen.
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Andrew, Hinds, Springer earn maiden call-ups as Windies squads for white ball tour of Sri Lanka named
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the squads selected for the eagerly anticipated West Indies Senior Men’s T20 International (T20I) and One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka. The teams are set to compete in three (3) T20Is and three (3) ODIs from 10 to 27 October 2024.
T20I Squad
The T20I squad will take on Sri Lanka from 10 to 17 October 2024. After a resounding 3-0 series sweep against South Africa earlier this year, the West Indies have climbed the rankings, moving to fourth place, and established themselves as serious contenders on the world stage. Several senior players, including Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein and Shimron Hetmyer have opted out of the tour for personal reasons, opening the door for newer faces and returning players. Captain Rovman Powell will lead the side, with Roston Chase continuing in his role as Vice-Captain.
Head Coach Daren Sammy, who now leads on selection under the revamped selection system, noted the importance of this series in evaluating players for key roles and understanding the conditions ahead of future ICC Tournaments.
On the T20 squad, Coach Sammy said, “the tour of Sri Lanka gives us a chance to test our depth and assess players in different situations, especially with several senior players missing out for various reasons, including a need for rest and rehabilitation from injury. We are confident in the squad’s ability to compete strongly.”
West Indies T20I Squad:
The series will begin on 13 October 2024, with the first match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, followed by two more matches on 15 and 17 October.
ODI Squad
The ODI squad is set to face Sri Lanka in a three-match series from 20 to 27 October 2024. Shai Hope will continue as Captain, with Vice-Captain support from Alzarri Joseph. This series provides an opportunity for CWI to focus on building its ODI team ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
A notable inclusion is Jewel Andrew, the young Antiguan wicketkeeper-batsman who has impressed and earned his place in the squad. The squad also sees the return of several key players, including Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford.
Head Coach Sammy, remarked on the ODI squad’s balance and potential for growth: “As we continue to build our ODI team, this tour offers a valuable opportunity to evaluate strategies and give opportunities to emerging talent. We are excited to see young players like Jewel Andrew, who has earned his place as an exciting prospect for the future.”
West Indies ODI Squad:
Team Management:
Team management remains the same across both squads.
The ODI series will start on 20 October 2024, with the first match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, followed by matches on 23 and 26 October.
Tour Schedule:
T20I Series:
All matches 7:00pm local time/9:30am Eastern Caribbean/8:30am Jamaica Caribbean fans can catch the action on Rush Sports, the Bluu App and Sports Max App.
ODI Series:
All matches 2:30pm local time/5:00am Eastern Caribbean/4:00am Jamaica
Caribbean fans can catch the action on Rush Sports, the Bluu App and Sports Max App.
South Africa seal ODI series win against Ireland
South Africa claimed an emphatic 174-run victory to seal an ODI series triumph over Ireland ahead of the final game on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.
Having cruised to a 139-run victory in the opening encounter, the Proteas continued to avenge their shock T20I defeat against the same opponents last week with another commanding display.
South Africa made a strong start with the bat before Ryan Rickelton (40) fell in the 13th over, with Temba Bavuma (35) retiring hurt from the contest soon after.
Rassie van der Dussen (35) and Kyle Verreynne (67) also performed well, only for Tristan Stubbs to steal the show with 112 runs from 81 deliveries, handing the Proteas a strong grip on the encounter, with South Africa ending 343-4 from their 50 overs.
Ireland then made a dismal start to their run chase, losing five wickets in the opening 10 overs as Lizaad Williams and Lungi Ngidi ripped through their opening attack and had Ireland 50-5 early on.
Mark Adair (21) and Andy McBrine (10) momentarily halted the onslaught, but were soon sent on their way, with Gavin Hoey hitting 23 runs before he was bowled and caught by Ngidi (2-38).
Graham Hume and Craig Young's 52-run stand frustrated South Africa, only for the former to be bowled out by Bjorn Fortuin (2-36) with just under 20 overs remaining as Ireland ended all out for 169.
Data Debrief: Proteas on song
It was yet another strong display by South Africa, cruising to a comfortable victory in Abu Dhabi, with Stubbs and Williams starring with the bat and ball.
Stubbs' knock of 112 saw him record a maiden century in international cricket, ending with an impressive strike rate of 138.27.
Williams, meanwhile, continued where he left off from the first match, and now has seven wickets during the series so far.
Stokes a doubt for England's series opener against Pakistan
Ben Stokes is a doubt for England's three-match series in Pakistan, with Zak Crawley admitting they do not know if he will be fit to feature.
Stokes tore his hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred competition, forcing him to miss the side's last three matches against Sri Lanka, with England winning the series 2-1.
At the end of September, the captain underwent a planned scan which showed he was “on track” to feature in the series, although he was not expected to bowl at the start.
Stokes had been hoping to make his return in the series opener on Monday, but looked uncomfortable in England's first training session, and is yet to be given the green light.
"I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff," Crawley said.
"He seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury, [but] we don't know just yet. We feel ready, whatever team comes out, it will be a nice balance either way.
"We've got a really deep squad with plenty of options with the ball and with the bat as well."
If Stokes is available to play, they could have some selection headaches, as they would be forced to drop one of the top six batters with his inclusion to make way for an extra bowler.
If they do not drop a batter, they could rely on Joe Root, who could also make history as he has 12,402 runs for England in men's tests and is just 71 away from surpassing Alastair Cook (12,472) as the all-time leading run-scorer.
Crawley, meanwhile, has been cleared to feature after recovering from a broken finger that kept him out against Sri Lanka.
"I feel brand new. I'm looking forward to getting out there," Crawley added.
"I couldn't pick up a bat for five weeks. I've certainly missed it, so I can't wait to get out there again with the boys.
"It was a nasty break at the time, but I've recovered well, and I don't feel it at all while I'm batting.
"I won't go at slip, just from advice from the doctor, but I feel like I could. I'm trying to rest it, but I did a few catches, and it feels fine. I'm just trying to follow the professional advice."
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