Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Guyana's GSL T20 operating in chaotic global cricket schedule environment, says WCA CEO Tom Moffat
World Cricketers Association (WCA) CEO Tom Mofatt has for a long time now raised concerns about the global structure of the game, and has spoken about the ongoing chaotic global cricket schedule crisis in the context of the Global Super League (GSL) T20 competition, established with Cricket West Indies (CWI) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
During the April’s CARICOM Cricket symposium in Trinidad and Tobago when Guyana President Irfan Ali announced the GSL, he stated: “The World Premier League we’re hoping can replace what used to be the Champions League. That league would have had the best sides coming together to play to recognize the best franchise team.” The tournament has proven to be nowhere similar to the disbanded champions league that ran from 2008-2014 under the joint control of the BCCI, Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA). None of the participating teams are current domestic T20 champions in their franchise leagues.
The most egregious example being the presence of Victoria state in the GSL competing at the same time whilst its main team is competing in the Sheffield Shield in Australia. Australia-based Moffat addressed the GSL in the wider context of WCAs commissioning it's independent global game structure review in August to find lasting solutions on global issues regarding global scheduling and global game economics.
“We’re fortunate to be able to look at the game’s issues at a macro global level and whilst it is not for WCA to tell domestic bodies what to do with their teams in their own jurisdiction, the idea of two teams under the same umbrella competing at the same time is not a new one in cricket,” said Moffat.
“It mirrors what international teams among some bigger nations have done in recent years, where two completely different national teams from the same country are playing at same time or in close proximity in bilateral international cricket. Both reflect a chaotic global schedule. We hope the event is successful and the last thing we want to do is stifle entrepreneurial thinking and new investment in our sport, but we want that to occur within a coherent global scheduling framework.
“There is currently no agreed framework for everyone to schedule within, and that means there is often cricket that is played to fill gaps in the calendar or short-term thinking. We have been consistent for a long time in urging the game of cricket to come together and provide more order and structure and a global calendar that makes sense to fans and players.”
Moffat highlighted where WCA sees silver linings amidst the confusion.
“Cricket has a lot of fantastic ingredients to be the envy of a lot of sports because of the three formats to utilize and maximize the markets where cricket is strong in and can grow into. We are even seeing in the leagues landscape a positive dynamic where franchise ownership is spreading their brands and teams globally, which can be really positive," he said.
Moffat further addressed the role in CWI sanctioning GSL as a full-member nation and the tournament having no push back or skepticism by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
“We (WCA) are on record saying the ICC tournament sanctioning regulations are far from perfect. There have generally been different rules for full members and associate members to set up leagues and full members have had the ability to sanction leagues in their own territories. The nature of the rules make it impossible to get uniformity and consistency in the leagues landscape across the world. From a player perspective, it also means there is also no consistency on terms and conditions and protections on basic things like contract standards and enforcement and freedom of movement. That is a big issue for the sport and the players who are central to its success.”
(GSLT20/GettyImages)
In the 2022 WCA’s third Men’s global employment report, West Indies was ranked as having a below average domestic contracts and domestic player earnings by global standards.
Asked if WCA sees a correlation with the CWI domestic pay discrepancy and the ability of a GSL-style league to be formed in the Caribbean by a deep-pocket nation state or business entity, Moffat surmised its a global issue rather than specific West Indies.
“This is a global market forces issue. The trend in the medium and small cricket nations markets in the last decade is that players get better remuneration playing in T20 leagues than in international cricket or traditional domestic cricket. If you get paid twice the amount for half the work, most people in all career pathways would take that option and it's often a straightforward decision for players in their short term careers. They’re also playing within a game structure and schedule that is set by the game’s administrators - conflicts in the schedule are not the players doing,” said Moffat.
"WCA has always been supportive of international cricket and wants it to thrive, including in places like the West Indies where there is such a rich tradition to the game. But to ensure that is sustainable, some significant changes to the global structure of the game and scheduling will be required.”
“These are not easy issues to solve particularly in a global sport. But those and many others are under close review by the expert groups we have compiled from across the game including players and their representatives and other stakeholders.
“There is no silver bullet, but there are some pretty smart heads looking at the Global Game Structure Review process, which will try to give some recommendations on some of the things that might be sustainable solutions to the problems that have been consistently raised by all stakeholders during our process, not just the players.”, Moffat concluded
Rangpur Riders defeat Amazon Warriors by 15 runs to secure first victory in Global Super League
The Rangpur Riders claimed their first win in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) with a thrilling 15-run triumph over the Guyana Amazon Warriors at Providence Stadium. The victory not only lifted the Riders off the bottom of the table but also injected fresh excitement into the tournament standings.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Riders captain Nurul Hasan saw his side collapse to a precarious 14 for 4 and then 27 for 5 as the Warriors’ bowling unit wreaked havoc. Dwaine Pretorius was the standout performer for the Warriors, taking 3-15 in a devastating spell that left the Riders reeling.
The Riders’ innings was salvaged by a brilliant knock from Khushdil Shah, whose 58 off 47 balls featured two fours and four sixes. His innings was a masterclass in patience and resilience, as he worked the ball into gaps early on before accelerating later in the innings. Hasan offered some stability with a gritty 15 off 26 balls, helping Shah push the total to 117, a score that initially seemed below par.
The Warriors, however, struggled mightily in their chase. Moeen Ali and Pretorius fell cheaply at the top, and the pressure mounted when Shimron Hetmyer was dismissed for a golden duck by Kamrul Islam Rabbi, leaving the home side floundering at 7 for 3.
Despite Shai Hope anchoring the innings with a measured 35 off 44 balls, the Warriors found themselves in deep trouble at 27 for 5, a mirror image of the Riders’ earlier struggles. Hope’s dismissal at the start of the 18th over by Rishad Hossain left the Warriors needing 16 runs off the final.
Romario Shepherd provided a glimmer of hope with a six in the penultimate over but was dismissed off the first ball of the last over, caught by Wayne Madsen off Kamrul Islam Rabbi. The Warriors were bowled out for 102, handing the Riders a hard-fought victory.
The loss leaves the Warriors with two defeats in the tournament and an uncertain path to the final. They now await the results of Thursday’s doubleheader to determine their fate in the inaugural GSL.
For the Riders, the win is a vital confidence boost as they look to build on this performance in the competition. The match highlighted their resilience, led by Shah’s exceptional innings and a spirited bowling effort that ensured their modest total was enough for victory.
Shamsi spins Qalanders to 10-run victory over Victoria
In a gripping encounter at Providence Stadium, Lahore Qalandars edged Victoria by 10 runs in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL). The result, driven by a masterful performance from Tabraiz Shamsi, leaves the race for a spot in the final finely poised.
Victoria, riding high after dominant wins in their first two matches, looked set to continue their streak but found themselves undone by the Qalandars’ all-around effort.
After being sent in to bat by Victoria captain Corey Anderson, the Qalandars built their innings around opener Mirza Baig’s composed knock of 39 off 36 balls. Despite Baig’s stability, the Qalandars struggled for fluency, with contributions from Mohammad Faizan (25 off 21), Tom Abell (17), and Mohammad Akhlaq (26) keeping the scoreboard ticking but failing to provide the acceleration needed for a commanding total.
Victoria’s bowlers, led by Dominic Drakes and Jackson Smith, ensured that the Qalandars couldn’t break free. Drakes was especially effective, taking 3-22 off his four overs, which included 14 dot balls. Smith, meanwhile, struck a critical blow by clean bowling Qalandars skipper Carlos Brathwaite for a golden duck, finishing with figures of 3-29.
The Qalandars were bowled out for 139, leaving Victoria a seemingly attainable target of 140.
Victoria started strongly in their chase, with openers Blake Macdonald and Joe Clarke putting on 67 runs for the first wicket. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Tabraiz Shamsi was introduced into the attack.
Shamsi produced a mesmerizing spell of slow left-arm wrist spin, claiming 3-11 off his four overs, including an incredible 16 dot balls. His control and variations stifled Victoria’s progress, and crucially, not a single boundary was scored off his bowling. Shamsi’s scalps included Macdonald and Clarke, breaking the back of Victoria’s batting order and earning him the well-deserved Player of the Match accolade.
Despite Shamsi’s heroics, Victoria found hope in Karima Gore, who fought valiantly with 25 off 22 balls. However, his dismissal at the start of the 19th over left Victoria needing 12 runs with just one wicket in hand.
Faheem Ashraf held his nerve in the final over, clean-bowling Jackson Smith with his third delivery to secure a dramatic 10-run victory for the Qalandars.
The win propels Lahore Qalandars into a three-way tie at the top of the GSL table alongside Victoria and Guyana Amazon Warriors, with all three teams sitting on four points after two wins and a loss each.
As the tournament heats up, the next round of matches will be pivotal in determining who secures a place in the final of this high-stakes league.
Tabraiz Shamsi’s brilliance has not only kept the Qalandars alive in the competition but has also set a high standard for match-winning performances in the GSL.
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