Cricket West Indies (CWI) has scored big with a new technical partnership with leading European sportswear company, Macron, as the official team kit supplier for the West Indies Men’s and Women’s teams.
The fresh collaboration promises to bring a new look to the upcoming Series against England, unveiling redesigned jerseys that encapsulate the iconic West Indies maroon loved by fans worldwide.
Macron, an Italian-based sports apparel manufacturer with over five decades of experience, will supply team playing and training kits for all home and away Test, ODI, and T20I matches. This encompasses the entire spectrum of West Indies cricket, including ‘A’ Teams, Academies, and age group teams.
What sets these jerseys apart is not just their aesthetic appeal but their commitment to sustainability. The high-performance material used in the jerseys is made from 100 per cent PET recycled polyester thread, derived from thirteen recycled bottles, contributing to a reduction in plastic waste and energy consumption.
The unveiling of the new team kit designs is eagerly anticipated, adding an element of excitement to the three-match CG United ODI Series, set to commence at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on December 3. The subsequent T20I Series, starting on December 12 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, will further showcase the new Macron-inspired attire.
For fans looking to emulate their cricketing heroes, Macron’s online store will offer the new range of playing and training apparel, caps, polo shirts, and other accessories. Caribbean fans will have the chance to purchase these items at the venues hosting the West Indies vs. England Series through a click-and-collect service via CWI’s online channels or at West Indies merchandise stands.
Dominic Warne, CWI Commercial Director, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, "The new kit will be loved by fans, players, and will also help the environment." He highlighted the positive environmental impact of using recycled plastic bottles in production, emphasizing the alignment with CWI’s goals of increasing sustainability and reducing plastic waste.
Macron CEO, Gianluca Pavanello, underscored the significance of partnering with West Indies Cricket, stating, "This further confirms the quality and reliability of the teamwear we supply."
As West Indies fans eagerly await the new era in cricket fashion, the stage is set for a memorable series against England, with the hope of seeing lots of maroon in the stands and the streets.
Full Match Schedule:
December 3: 1st CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 9:30 am
December 6: 2nd CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 1:30 pm
December 9: 3rd CG United at Kensington Oval, Barbados – 1:30 pm
December 12: 1st T20I at Kensington Oval, Barbados – 6 pm
December 14: 2nd T20I at Grenada National Stadium, Grenada – 1:30 pm
December 16: 3rd T20I at Grenada National Stadium, Grenada – 1:30 pm
December 19: 4th T20I at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad – 4 pm
December 21: 5th T20I at Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
In a thrilling conclusion to their four-day unofficial Test match, Kevin Sinclair played the role of hero as he scored an unbeaten half-century, guiding West Indies A to a nail-biting one-wicket victory over South Africa A in Benoni on Friday.
Facing a challenging situation with the tourists at 104-5, Sinclair showcased immense patience and skill, accumulating 80 crucial runs to secure the win for West Indies A, reaching 224-9 in 80.4 overs.
The day began with West Indies resuming their innings at eight without loss, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on one and Zachary McCaskie on five. Unfortunately, McCaskie failed to add to his overnight score, becoming the first victim of Mihlali Mpongwana, who claimed three wickets in the inning. Chanderpaul and Kirk McKenzie formed a useful partnership for the second wicket, but it was disrupted when Dane Piedt dismissed McKenzie for 36, leaving the score at 75-2. The West Indies A faced a quick succession of wickets, with Mpongwana dismissing Chanderpaul for 35 and removing Kavem Hodge for 12, bringing the team to 104-4.
Duanne Olivier and Hardus Viljoen continued the pressure, removing Tevin Imlach and Joshua da Silva, leaving the West Indies A at a precarious 114-6 and in danger of defeat. However, Sinclair, the Player of the Match, stood firm. The bowling all-rounder, known for his ability to lead late-order revivals, played a match-winning knock, scoring the majority of the remaining runs. Facing 150 balls, Sinclair hit eight fours and two sixes during his resilient innings.
Jayden Seales contributed 12 runs, and Jair McAllister, coming in with the tourists still 53 runs away from their target, finished not out on seven.
Mpongwana led the South African bowling attack with figures of 3-25, while Viljoen and Piedt took two wickets each in the losing cause. Sinclair's heroics ensured a memorable victory for West Indies A in a thrilling encounter against South Africa A.
The West Indies 'A' team faces a challenging task on the final day of their four-day unofficial Test match against South Africa 'A,' needing 216 runs for victory in Benoni.
Resuming on three without loss on Thursday, trailing by 24, South Africa 'A,' who declared at 287-9 in their first innings, were eventually dismissed for 250, setting a target of 224 for the West Indies 'A.' At stumps, the West Indies 'A' stood at eight without loss.
South Africa's second innings was anchored by opener Neil Brand, who had scored all three runs in their overnight score. Brand's impressive knock of 104, comprising 219 deliveries with 14 fours, was the sole score over 50 for the home team. His patient innings aimed to set a challenging target for the West Indies 'A' as they sought a victory on the final day.
Brand played pivotal roles in partnerships throughout the innings, including a second-wicket stand of 61 with Zubayr Hamza (30) and a fourth-wicket alliance of 55 with David Bedingham (23). A fifth-wicket partnership of 44 with Clyde Fortuin contributed to South Africa 'A's attempt to establish a worthwhile target.
However, wickets began to fall regularly after Fortuin's dismissal for 20, and South Africa 'A' ultimately reached 250 all out. Brand was the ninth man out with the score at 223. Late contributions from Duanne Oliver (14) and Tshepo Moreki (17 from 15) added valuable runs to the innings.
Leading the bowling attack for the West Indies 'A,' Akeem Jordan took 3-58, while Jaydon Seales, Kevin Sinclair, and Shermon Lewis each claimed two wickets.
As the West Indies 'A' looks to secure victory on the final day, Zachary McCaskie (5) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (1) will resume their innings when play begins. The team will need a strong batting performance to achieve the target of 216 runs set by South Africa 'A' and claim victory in this closely contested unofficial Test match.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has been told the current men’s domestic cricket schedule is “unsustainable” by the Professional Cricketers Association.
The 2024 fixture lists for the LV= Insurance County Championship and Vitality Blast were unveiled on Thursday alongside the schedule for the women’s game.
While there are now only 15 County Championship fixture slots instead of 16, the Twenty20 Vitality Blast competition will be played almost entirely on Thursday nights, Friday nights and weekends between the end of May to mid-July.
PCA chief executive Rob Lynch said: “On a day that is full of excitement and anticipation, the announcement of the 2024 fixtures is a reminder that the men’s domestic calendar in England and Wales is unsustainable and is in need of reform for the interests of current and future professional cricketers and therefore the future of our game.
“We are aware the ECB acknowledges the schedule is not ideal and following recent game-wide conversations, we understand the game has an ambition to look seriously at the 2025 fixture list.
“We have heard this commitment in the past and the professional game has not delivered. Collectively, we need to act to advance player welfare to future-proof our sport and the PCA wishes to fully collaborate with the ECB and game to make this a reality.”
Last month the PCA held its annual Player Summit and the domestic men’s schedule was high up on the agenda.
Players highlighted the “dangerous” travel windows that occurred during an unrelenting 2023 fixture list, specifically the Vitality Blast given the quick turnaround in matches.
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The PCA raised concerns with the Professional Game committee, but Essex bowler Sam Cook added: “My biggest issue is the welfare of players and support staff being disregarded, particularly with regards to travel throughout high-intensity periods of T20 cricket.
“This has been repeatedly stressed in numerous PCA Summits and despite this, the schedule still provides the same problems by not focusing on player welfare.”
PCA chair James Harris welcomed the increase in double headers between the men and women’s game, but warned the domestic schedule must evolve.
An added complication is a busy international summer, with the men’s T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and United States in June.
“The men’s domestic schedule must evolve further to meet the needs of modern professional athletes,” Harris added.
“While the opportunities players have are no doubt greater than ever before, the county system must adapt to allow players the chance to progress their careers in a way that respects the welfare of the individuals who perform on the pitch.
“The recent Player Summit saw the men’s county schedule as a high priority with the players in attendance displaying a dissatisfaction at the structure following research within their dressing rooms.
“As a union, we are constantly talking to our membership, with formal meetings such as the Summit, AGM, pre-season meetings and surveys supplemented by constant informal communication. It is apparent things need to change for 2025.”
ECB county cricket managing director Neil Snowball is confident that the 2024 schedule strikes the right balance for all parties.
However, with 122 of the 126 Vitality Blast group-stage fixtures scheduled across Thursday to Sunday slots, Gloucestershire’s David Payne has raised the pressures being put on current players.
Payne said: “Looking specifically at our fixtures at Gloucestershire, there are a number of occasions that do not allow appropriate time between fixtures.
“Finishing a T20 game late on a Thursday night in Cardiff, followed by playing another T20 the following night in Bristol, and expecting to be at peak condition to play a four-day game at Scarborough on the Sunday morning is one example.
“This sort of scheduling simply does not allow for high performance, or look after the welfare of the players.
“As a game we have to work together so player welfare is prioritised to create the best environment for a spectacle that allows the growth of the game.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a six-year ban on former West Indies batter Marlon Samuels following his involvement in corrupt behavior during the Abu Dhabi T10 in 2019. Samuels, who was part of the Karnataka Tuskers but did not play in the tournament, was found guilty on four counts, including accepting favors that brought himself and the game into disrepute and concealing information from investigating authorities.
This ban is a result of an independent tribunal's findings, and it comes 15 years after Samuels had previously been punished for a similar offense. The ICC found him in violation of several anti-corruption codes during the Abu Dhabi T10.
"Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anti-corruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the Anti-Corruption Codes," said Alex Marshall, the head of ICC's HR and Integrity Unit. "Though he is retired now, Mr. Samuels was a participant when the offenses were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules."
The Abu Dhabi T10, being an Emirates Cricket Board-run tournament, operates under its anti-corruption code. The ICC, by their rules, conducts investigations into breaches. Samuels was found guilty on four counts, including failing to disclose the receipt of gifts or benefits that could bring the sport into disrepute, failing to disclose receipt of hospitality with a value of US $750 or more, failing to cooperate with the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing relevant information.
Samuels' ban takes effect from November 11, 2023. He was initially charged by the ICC in September 2021, and the verdict was reached in August of this year.
Marlon Samuels, who played a pivotal role in West Indies' T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, announced his retirement in November 2020, having amassed over 11,000 international runs across formats. His career was not without controversy, with a previous two-year ban in 2008 for "receiving money, benefit, or other reward that could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute."
England Test captain Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for next year’s Indian Premier League.
Stokes was purchased by Chennai Super Kings for £1.65million last December, but struggled with his fitness and played only twice for his new franchise in the 2023 tournament.
A long-standing knee injury failed to stop Stokes from starring in the Ashes this summer, while he recently came out of 50-over retirement to feature in England’s unsuccessful defence of their World Cup crown in India.
He is set for surgery on his knee injury to ensure he is fit for England’s five-match Test series with India which begins in January and has cited the need to manage his workload as a reason for missing the 2024 IPL, with the Twenty20 World Cup also on the horizon in June.
Despite Stokes being unavailable for defending IPL champions Super Kings, the management team of the franchise are supportive of the all-rounder’s decision to skip next year’s tournament, that is expected to again run between March and May.
“England Test captain, all-rounder Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL 2024 to manage his workload and fitness,” a statement from Chennai Super Kings read.
“Stokes, 32, became a part of the Super Kings ahead of the successful IPL 2023.
“He recently participated in the ODI World Cup 2023, which he came out of retirement for.
“The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload with England playing a five-Test series in India before the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in June 2024.”
Travis Head proved he is a "champion player" with his decisive Cricket World Cup final innings against India, according to Madan Lal.
It looked like India were on course to record a brilliant World Cup triumph on home soil when they won every match en route to last week's final and then reduced Australia to 47-3 in their pursuit of 241.
But a pivotal 192-run partnership from opener Head and Marnus Labuschagne slowly took the game away from India and quietened the home crowd as the Aussies claimed a record-extending sixth World Cup.
Head remained at the crease until the final over, scoring 137 from 120 balls, with 15 fours and four maximums.
Ex-India captain Madan Lal, who won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, was most impressed by how Head was able to manage the situation before moving up the gears as he recorded the second-highest score by an opener in a men's final, after compatriot Adam Gilchrist's 149 in 2007.
"Travis Head's innings was one of the best I've seen in a World Cup – and I have watched a lot of World Cups, I played in two World Cups," Madan Lal said to Stats Perform.
"But any innings under pressure, when you score 137 and your team wins, it’s always going to be very high in my mind.
"He didn't panic. Normally, he's a player who hits the ball, he hits every ball. But he altered his game according to the situation of the game, according to the scoreboard.
"He played like a champion, a champion player."
Head is in the Australia squad for a five-match T20I series between the teams which begins in Vishakhapatnam on Thursday as the gruelling international cricket calendar continues.
Pat Cummins, meanwhile, is rested for the T20 series after winning praise for his captaincy in the tournament.
He was the first skipper to triumph in a World Cup final after winning the toss since 2007, with his decision to put India in to bat paying off spectacularly.
Madan Lal added: "All the credit must go to Pat Cummins because of his leadership quality.
"He's also a wonderful person, because if you look at him when he's playing the game, I've never seen him getting angry or getting upset with someone.
"The calmness is there and that is why I think I rate him, because you have to control that situation, that is very, very important for the leader. A leader like Pat Cummins respects all the players and all the players respect him."
When Australia reached the final, Madan Lal knew India had a huge challenge despite the hosts' fine form throughout the tournament.
He added: "If you look at Australia's performances in the World Cup, we are always going to rank them very, very highly, as the number one team.
"They know how to do it because Australia has a sporting culture. They never give up. They are always trying something. And the other thing which I like about them is that they enjoy the game.
"You cannot win nine games on the trot after losing the first couple of games. Only this type of Australian team can do it. You can never, ever take an Australian easily, because when Australia reached the final, everybody in India knew that they were going to be a tough match.
"When Ricky Ponting was captain, that team was very, very good, but this team is also good. See, the captain is only good when the team is good, and you can produce the result.
"They have won the World Test Championship, now they've won the World Cup. That's where you have to appreciate this team. They produced the result and that's what matters."
Reduced rounds of County Championship fixtures and more time between formats can help manage player workload, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board’s operations manager Alan Fordham.
The 2024 domestic schedule has 15 County Championship fixture slots instead of 16, with every side set to have a rest from action through rounds four, five or six.
With a busy international summer – which includes the men’s T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June – the ECB has tried to limit the impact of another packed fixture list for counties across all competitions.
Vitality Blast matches will be staged almost entirely on Thursday nights, Friday nights and weekends, running from the end of May to mid-July.
The Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day will be at Derbyshire’s County Ground on June 22, while the knockout phase of the Vitality Blast is set for a ‘Super September’ which will see the remaining five trophies – across men’s county, regional women’s and disability competitions – all be decided.
Fordham accepts the ECB’s hand was forced somewhat in the schedule jigsaw, which sees the Hundred window moved slightly earlier to start at the end of July, while all the men’s bilateral international cricket has to take place after the T20 World Cup.
Fordham, though, feels the compromises will play out to be worthwhile when the new season starts on April 5, with Surrey opening the defence of their County Championship title away to Lancashire
“We are able to schedule these competitions reasonably satisfactorily, but we would all always like to do it better from a performance point of view and provide more distance between red and white-ball transitions if that is at all possible,” Fordham said.
“One thing we have done this year, and I think for the first time, which is a consequence of getting by with 15 rather than 16 slots, is ensuring that between Championship rounds there is always a three-day break.
“Normally you would expect one game to be home and one away so there is often added travel between games, so a three-day break between four-day games is really quite important.
“We have been able to achieve that in 2024. That is not something we have been able to achieve in every previous season, so again, there is a bit of give and take.
“I am confident the schedule is the best output that we can possibly have, but there are always priorities to be made and compromises to be made.”
Of the 126 Blast group-stage fixtures, 122 will be played over the most commercially appealing Thursday to Sunday slots.
ECB’s county cricket managing director Neil Snowball is confident the 2024 schedule strikes the right balance for all parties.
“Because we have got the longer (Blast) group stage, we can actually just have those two blocks with the one transition (between competitions) of rounds nine and 10, whereas previously we have sometimes flipped between them,” Snowball said.
“That was one of the things that they really didn’t like from a player welfare point of view, so I think that is a positive.
“It is always balancing the commercial with the welfare, but certainly, there was a lot of good feedback from the PCA (Professional Cricketers’ Association).”
Fifties from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kavem Hodge helped the West Indies “A” build a small 24-run lead over South Africa “A” at stumps on Wednesday’s day two of their first unofficial four-day “Test” match at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
The West Indians made 314-9 declared from 93.2 overs after starting day two 46-0 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 28 and Zachary McCaskie on 17.
The pair put on a further 20 runs before McCaskie was the first man to fall for 31 in the 17th over.
Kirk McKenzie then came and went quickly for a duck bringing Kavem Hodge to the crease to partner Chanderpaul.
The pair put on an excellent 110-run third wicket partnership before Chanderpaul fell for a top score of 78 off 150 balls in the 54th over. Chanderpaul’s knock included 12 fours. Vice-captain Tevin Imlach was next to go for 16 to leave the West Indies 196-4 in the 60th over.
Hodge was then joined by captain Joshua Da Silva and the pair added 17 before Hodge was the fifth man to fall, going for a well-played 73 off 151 balls including nine fours.
Da Silva (20), Kevin Sinclair (39) and Akeem Jordan (40) then all added crucial contributions as the innings eventually ended with the tourists leading by 27 runs.
The South African bowling was led by Tshepo Moreki with 3-56 from 19 overs while Dane Piedt took 2-60 from 23.2 overs and Hardus Viljoen took 2-91 from 21 overs.
South Africa “A” were 3-0 off three overs at stumps.
Full scores: South Africa “A” 287-9 dec. off 78.5 overs (Keegan Petersen 59, Tony De Zorzi 55, Clyde Fortuin 53, David Bedingham 47, Jayden Seales 3-23, Akeem Jordan 3-61, Kevin Sinclair 2-64) & 3-0 off 3 overs
West Indies “A” 314-9 dec. off 93.2 overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 78, Kavem Hodge 73, Akeem Jordan 40, Kevin Sinclair 39, Zachary McCaskie 31, Tshepo Moreki 3-56, Dane Piedt 2-60, Hardus Viljoen 2-91)
India had a "mental issue" in their Cricket World Cup final defeat to Australia, according to their former captain Madan Lal.
Travis Head's 137 propelled Australia to a six-wicket victory in Sunday's final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Head's knock is the second-highest score by an opener in a men's World Cup final.
And Madan Lal, who played for India between 1974 and 1987, believes the tournament hosts had a mental slip at the most inopportune moment.
"It is a little bit of a mental issue, you can say that," he told Stats Perform.
"In a final, if you make mistakes, then you have no chance of winning. You have to make less mistakes [than the opposition] as that is the only way you are going to win.
"You can say [India are having] mental issues because in the last 10 ICC tournaments we've played in the finals [knockout rounds], but we didn't win any. That can be addressed.
“Definitely [this was their best chance] because of the way the team was playing and the way their bowling attack was performing.
"I was thinking that India would go through and win, but at the end of the day, when Australia came into the final, then I said it was a 50-50 game. It's not a game that can be easily won.
"I think it's a bit sad. India had done very well. They won all their ten matches, but in the last one, they couldn’t cross the line."
Virat Kohli starred for India in the World Cup, scoring 765 runs.
He tallied a half-century in the final, having plundered a ton in the semi-final, which took him above India legend Sachin Tendulkar in the all-time rankings for ODI centuries.
"He’s fantastic, a world champion, a superb player," Madan Lal said of Kohli.
"The good thing about him is the way he looks after himself, the way he approaches the game, his attitude.
"Plus, if you see when he's batting, we always know that if he bats for 15 minutes, he will get 100 runs.
"And another good thing about him is that he looks at the scoreboard. He plays according to the situation of the game, like Head did [in the final]."
Captain Nyeem Young and opener Matthew Nandu both hit unbeaten half-centuries as the West Indies Academy defeated Emerging Ireland by six wickets in the third One-Day match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua to take a 2-1 series win.
The Academy first dismissed the Irish for 175 in 43.4 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.
Emerging Ireland captain Stephen Doheny top scored with 64 from 96 balls including six fours while Tom Mayes hit 27 and Morgan Topping 20 against excellent bowling from Joshua Bishop (3-32 from 10 overs), Ashmead Nedd (3-28 from nine overs) and Kevin Wickham (3-42 from 8.4 overs).
The hosts then needed only 40.3 overs to successfully reach 179-4 and seal the series win.
Young led the way with a 67-ball 75* including eight fours and three sixes while Nandu batted through the innings to finish 63* off 107 balls including three fours.
Matthew Humphreys took two of the three wickets for Emerging Ireland.
The teams will now turn their attention to a pair of four-day matches from November 25-28 and December 2-5 at Coolidge.
The West Indies “A” Team will enter day two of their first unofficial four-day “Test” match against South Africa “A” at Willowmoore Park in Benoni trailing by 241 runs after a decent day with bat and ball.
The hosts, who have six players in their 11 with Test experience, won the toss and chose to bat first on Tuesday, posting 287-9 before declaring.
They were led by half centuries from Keegan Petersen (59), Tony De Zorzi (55) and Clyde Fortuin (53) while David Bedingham also played well for his 47.
Jayden Seales bowled excellently up front with 3023 in 15.5 overs while Akeem Jordan took 3-61 from 18 overs. Kevin Sinclair also bowled 18 overs and took 2-64.
The West Indian opening pair of Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Zachary McCaskie were able to put on 46 in nine overs before stumps on day one.
Chanderpaul will enter day two 28* while McCaskie is on 17*.
Full scores: South Africa “A” 287-9 dec. off 78.5 overs (Keegan Petersen 59, Tony De Zorzi 55, Clyde Fortuin 53, David Bedingham 47, Jayden Seales 3-23, Akeem Jordan 3-61, Kevin Sinclair 2-64)
West Indies “A” 46-0 off nine overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 28*, Zachary McCaskie 17*)
Former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo issued some scathing criticism towards lead selector for the West Indies Men’s Team, the hon. Desmond Haynes, as well as white ball head coach, Daren Sammy, after his younger brother Darren was overlooked for the upcoming three-match home series against England.
Darren Bravo, 34, recently led the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force to the CG United Super50 Cup title and finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 416 runs in eight innings at an average of 83.20 with one hundred and three fifties.
His production proved to be not enough in the eyes of the selectors, however, as they opted to go with younger players who they have invested in with an eye on the 2027 World Cup, according to Haynes in a press conference on Monday.
“SMH!!! When will the BS stop?!” I’m not surprised with my brother’s non-selection, but with the recent changes in WI cricket management, I held onto a bit of hope for the better,” Bravo said in a statement on Instagram on Monday.
“This is NOT acceptable, and I just can’t make sense of it! So here are my burning questions: What’s the criteria for West Indies team selection? Surely, it can’t be solely based on performance?” he added.
The former all-rounder then went into the aforementioned stats that Darren bravo put together in the Super50 Cup before asking more questions.
“I usually stay away from these discussions but the mistreatment, disrespect, and dishonesty towards players over the years demand a voice. When will it stop? When will this BS actually stop?”
He then directed his ire toward Haynes, Sammy, and newly appointed director of cricket Miles Bascombe.
“To Mr. Desmond Haynes, your statement didn’t surprise me. It feels like another former player singing for his supper. I hoped for trust in the system with figures like you, Sammy, and the new director of cricket, but the system failed again,” he said.
Bravo ended by offering encouragement to his brother and congratulating some of the new and returning members of the squad.
“To my brother, this too shall pass. Keep your head up, stay focused and trust in the Almighty. And, as always, I extend my best wishes to the team and selected players. It’s refreshing to see (Kjorn) Ottley, (Sherfane) Rutherford and (Shane) Dowrich back in the mix. Good luck guys,” he ended.
Chris Gayle’s Gujarat Giants suffered a narrow 10-run defeat at the hands of the Manipal Tigers in the second game of the 2023 Legends League Cricket season at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Monday.
The Tigers batted first and made 173-8 from their 20 overs after losing the toss. Hamilton Masakadza (37), Thisara Perera (32) and Robin Uthappa (23) were the main scorers. Chadwick Walton also contributed 17.
Rajat Bhatia took 3-31 from his four overs while Trent Johnstone was expensive in his three overs, going for 33 runs but picking up two wickets in the process.
Then, despite a top score of 56 from Jacques Kallis along with a rapid 38 from Gayle and 35 from captain and wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, the Giants were restricted to 163-9 from their 20 overs.
Man of the match Parvinder Awana took 4-19 from three overs to lead the charge for the victors. Harbhajan Singh was also economical with 2-14 from his four overs. Perera also completed a good all-round performance with 2-6 from two overs.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has unveiled the 15-member squad for the upcoming CG United One-Day International (ODI) Series against England, slated to commence on December 3. Shai Hope will continue to lead the team, with the exciting addition of Alzarri Joseph as the newly appointed vice-captain.
The squad boasts two uncapped players, Sherfane Rutherford and seam bowling all-rounder Matthew Forde, who has earned his first call-up to the senior international level. Additionally, the Selection Panel has recalled experienced wicket-keeper/batsman Shane Dowrich and opener Kjorn Ottley, adding depth and experience to the lineup.
Lead Selector Dr. Desmond Haynes expressed confidence in the squad's composition, stating, "We have a clear vision. We are focused on building a solid team. Our main focus is to re-build for success at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027."
Alzarri Joseph's appointment as vice-captain was attributed to his demonstrated maturity and leadership qualities during the recent CG United Super50 Cup. Dr. Haynes remarked, "We believe with exposure and opportunities he could be a future leader in West Indies cricket. Matthew Forde is a whole-hearted cricketer who has been impressive. He is one of the players coming through the West Indies Academy programme who can form part of the future."
The CG United ODI Series, consisting of three matches, will bowl off with two ODIs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on December 3 and December 6. The third and final ODI will be held at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on December 9.
In preparation for the series, the West Indies squad will assemble for a camp in Antigua, starting on November 20. Head Coach Daren Sammy emphasized the importance of the camp, focusing on specific skills, fitness, and strength and conditioning sessions to prepare the team for the challenging encounters with England.
"We will have high-intensity, purposeful training sessions, and everything that we do will be geared towards improving and winning," Sammy declared.
Fans eager to witness the action can purchase tickets in advance through the Windies Tickets service presented by Mastercard at www.tickets.windiescricket.com.
Full Squad: Shai Hope (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King
Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas.
Match Schedule:
Sunday, December 3: 1st CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 9:30 am
Wednesday, December 6: 2nd CG United ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua – 1:30 pm
Saturday, December 9: 3rd CG United ODI at Kensington Oval, Barbados – 1:30 pm
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