Jamaica Cricket Association President Billy Heaven (r) and Kingston Wharves Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager Simone Murdock (L) with St. Mary Captain Jiovanni Richardson (2nd l) and St. Ann Captain Marcodean Clarke at the launch of the 32nd Kingston Wharves U15 Cricket Competition at the Ultimate Cricket Oval in St. Ann on Tuesday.
Defending champion St. Mary defeated St Ann by eight wickets in the opening match of the 32nd Kingston Wharves U15 Cricket Competition which was launched at the Ultimate Cricket Oval in St. Ann on Tuesday.
Under the gaze of Jamaica Cricket Association President Billy Heaven, CEO Courtney Francis, Cricket Operations Manager O’Neil Cruickshank and Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager Simone Murdock, St. Mary won the toss and invited St. Ann to take first strike.
St. Ann started shakily, losing their first wicket for 11 runs. They continued losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually all out for 77 runs in 39.2 overs.
Only four batsmen got into double figures - Jdain Bailey (18), Deshaun Gayle (14), Oneil Lampard (11) and Brandon Mowatt (10) - against the bowling of Shavaughn Boyd who bagged 6-18. Tedain Noyan backed him up with 2-26.
St. Mary achieved the 78 runs needed for victory for the loss of two wickets in just 13.3 overs as Davantae Miller top-scored with 38 and Tyreece Saunders 22. Jadeek Walker who took 1-10 was the lone wicket taker for St Ann.
Following the match, Cruickshank revealed that there are major changes to this year's competition.
"The most fundamental change that we have made is that we have moved from the limited overs version. We will be playing a one inning one day which means that the youngsters can bat as long as they can bat or as long as their teams wants them to bat or as long as the other team allows them to bat, so there no limit on the number of overs a particular team can face,” he explained.
“We have also allowed each team to use four players who are outside the age criteria. Additionally, we have allowed any female who has not yet reached the age of 19 at the start of the competition to participate."
Cruikshank said that at the conclusion of the tournament, the JCA select 28 youngsters who will begin preparation for the national team.
“It's the first time we will be doing it but we have looked at that cohort of youngsters and we believe that they are going need more time to be ready to compete in our regional tournament," he said.
The 2023 competition will feature 19 teams playing across four zones, with three zones having five teams and one, Zone 1, having four teams. This is so because St. Thomas will sit out this year due to a number of cricket-related challenges.
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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