One of the key things that fans of West Indies cricket over the last few years have wanted from the regional team is consistency.
There are periods where the team is clicking at all levels, as evidenced by a dominant 4-1 T20I series win over Australia in July 2021 but there are also periods where the team just can’t seem to buy a win.
The Caribbean side are currently locked 1-1 in a five-match T20I series with England and Jason Holder, in a press conference today, pleaded for the team to strive for consistency.
“We’ve just got to keep challenging ourselves to play a complete game. If we can be a lot more clinical and consistent, we can make our lives a whole lot easier. The challenge for each and every individual is to seek consistency. I think consistency is something that we’ve been talking about for years and it’s just time we start heading in the right direction and progressing. I just want to see progression and development, consistently,” he said.
The former West Indies Test and ODI skipper, who has so far taken figures of 4-7 and 2-25, in the first two games of the series, also said that with a relatively young squad, he has to take on a leadership role even without the captaincy.
“I just try to give anything to the team that I think will benefit us. We have a relatively inexperienced group so I just try to help out as much as I can and give what advice I can give. I don’t think it’s a situation where I have to give too much information because that becomes clouded for individuals, so I keep it as simple as possible. Anything I pick up I pass it on to the captain and then obviously to individual players but I think my role is just to help guide and nurture the young talent that we have,” Holder added.
There are three games remaining in the series, but Holder wants the team to take a game-by-game approach rather than looking to the future too soon.
“I’m just focused on what’s ahead tomorrow. Tomorrow is our next encounter so there’s no point in looking at the last three matches before we get to the one tomorrow,” he said.
In the second T20I the regional team’s fielding left a lot to be desired and Holder echoed the same sentiments.
“I don’t think we were good enough in the field in the last encounter and that probably hurt us in the end,” Holder added.
The West Indies can, hopefully, have a better day in the field tomorrow when they take on England in the third T20I at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
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.
West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championship set for April 4-12 in Antigua
Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced the match schedule for the West Indies Rising Stars Under 15s Championship which will be played in Antigua from Tuesday 4 April to Wednesday 12 April.
The tournament will feature the six regional teams who will each play five rounds of 50-over matches at three venues: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Coolidge Cricket Ground, as well as the Liberta Sports Club.
The opening round will see home team Leeward Islands taking on Windward Islands at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium; Trinidad & Tobago will meet Guyana at Coolidge Cricket Ground and Jamaica face defending champions Barbados at Liberta. All matches start at 9:30am local time (8:30am Jamaica).
Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket spoke of the importance of age group tournaments across the region and how essential it is to develop the young talent in the West Indies.
“I want to congratulate the players who have earned selection to play in the upcoming West Indies Rising Stars Under 15s Championship and who will have the honor of representing their regional teams. This is a step in their development, and we want to wish them the very best,” Adams said.
“Last year we saw the restart of this tournament, after a break due to COVID 19, and we were able to see a number of excellent performances, and we anticipate more of the same this year. This is a critical step in pathway from the grassroot stage and we want to continue to ensure we provide those opportunities for the players to grow and flourish.”
The Rising Stars Under 15s Championship will signal the first age-group tournament for junior male cricketers this year. Later in the summer, CWI will stage the West Indies Rising Stars Under 17s Championship in Trinidad which will feature 50 over matches and the West Indies Rising Stars Under 19s Championship in St Vincent which will be three-day matches and 50 over matches.
Fans across the region can follow every match in the Windies Rising Stars Under 15s Championship in the www.windiescricket.com live match centre featuring live ball-by ball scoring and scorecards.
FULL MATCH SCHEDULE
Venues
SVRS – Sir Vivian Richards Stadium
CCG – Coolidge Cricket Ground
LSC – Liberta Sports Club
All matches start at 9:30am local time (8:30am Jamaica).
Tuesday 4 April
Leeward Islands v Windward Islands at SVRS
Trinidad & Tobago v Guyana at CCG
Jamaica v Barbados at LSC
Thursday 6 April
Leeward Islands v Barbados at CCG
Guyana v Jamaica at SVRS
Trinidad & Tobago v Windward Islands at LSC
Saturday 8 April
Windward Islands v Guyana at CCG
Trinidad & Tobago v Barbados at SVRS
Leeward Islands v Jamaica at LSC
Monday 10 April
Jamaica v Trinidad & Tobago at CCG
Windward Islands v Barbados at SVRS
Leeward Islands v Guyana at LSC
Wednesday 12 April
Leeward Islands v Trinidad & Tobago at CCG
Jamaica v Windward Islands at SVRS
Barbados v Guyana at LSC
Springboks assistant Felix Jones to join England coaching staff in 2024
South Africa assistant Felix Jones will join England's coaching staff after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Jones featured 13 times for Ireland during his playing career, before taking on assistant coach roles with Munster and the Springboks.
England are planning ahead after a disappointing Six Nations campaign in which they finished in fourth place, losing three of their five games.
Speaking to the England Rugby website after the future appointment was confirmed, head coach Steve Borthwick expressed his excitement at eventually having Jones on board.
"We are continuing to build our programme to be in a position to compete to be world champions once again," Borthwick said. "At the same time, I also want to ensure we are preparing for long-term success for this England team, and I am excited that a coach as talented as Felix is joining next year.
"Felix has been competing at the top of world rugby during his four years with South Africa and will bring invaluable experience to our set-up. Like with Aled Walters, Felix was an integral part of the team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
"Together with Richard Wigglesworth and Kevin Sinfield, we are putting in place a coaching team who have spent their careers at the highest level competing for trophies. That is exactly what we want for this England team."
Jones has worked with South Africa since 2019, and will join up with assistant Wigglesworth (assistant) and another former Springboks coach in Aled Walters (head of strength and conditioning) as well as Borthwick and Sinfield (defence coach) in 2024, with Wigglesworth and Walters due to come in at the end of the Premiership season.
"Coaching the Springboks is one of the biggest privileges in rugby and I intend to do everything I can to ensure the team is successful until the day my contract comes to its natural end," said Jones.
"The last four years has been an incredible journey for me and my family, both professionally and personally, I am indebted to so many people at the Springboks and in South Africa for that.
"My commitment to the Springboks until the end of the Rugby World Cup is unquestionable, and Rassie [Erasmus, director of rugby], Jacques [Nienaber, head coach] and the entire Springbok team know that.
"The next five months are going to be exciting and demanding, and I'm looking forward to preparing for the World Cup with this coaching team."
Republic Bank announced as new CPL title sponsor in three-year deal
Republic Bank Limited, the largest indigenous bank in the English-speaking Caribbean, has been announced as the new title sponsor and official bank of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The announcement was made by CPL Chief Executive Officer, Pete Russell, in a press conference held Wednesday in Port of Spain to launch the 2023 season of the T20 cricket tournament.
Having previously sponsored the CPL as the official banking partner since 2015, the bank will now assume the league’s highest sponsorship profile for the next three (3) years.
Republic Bank has also been confirmed as a partner for the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) which will return in 2023 for its second edition. The WCPL sees the best female cricketers from across the region and around the world showcase their skills in front of a huge global audience.
“Republic Bank are the perfect partner for the CPL and WCPL, a company that shares our passion for cricket and Caribbean culture,” said Pete Russell, CEO of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League.
“The CPL is a driver of economic growth and the creation of jobs, so having a financial group like Republic Bank as the title sponsor makes perfect sense. In addition, Republic Bank has a great track record of spreading the love of cricket across the region, something that is important to all of us at the CPL.”
Nigel Baptiste, Group President and Chief Executive Officer for the Republic Group, said: “We are excited to be the Title Sponsor and Official Bank of the Caribbean Premier League. Cricket is hugely important to Caribbean heritage, culture, community and youth development and as the Caribbean’s largest sporting event and one of its most significant sport entertainment exports, the CPL demonstrates to the world the Caribbean’s capability and prowess, illustrates our talent and future potential, and showcases our joyous and incomparable spirit.”
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