World championships gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Commonwealth champion Sada Williams have both advanced to the final of the 400m of the 2022 NACAC Open Championships that got underway in Freeport, the Bahamas on Friday.

Andre Russell has once again demonstrated why he is among the most sought-after players in short-form cricket when has blasted a quick-fire half-century and took a wicket as Manchester Originals crushed Southern Brave by 68 runs in Southampton on Thursday.

Russell, 34, smashed an unbeaten 23-ball 64 that included six fours and five sixes in Manchester Originals' mammoth score of 188-2. He was given the perfect platform after openers Joss Buttler (68) and Phil Salt (34) gave the side a solid start with a stand of 64.

Buttler clubbed three fours and five sixes in his 42-ball knock while Salt found the boundary ropes on four occasions and cleared it once is his innings that lasted 22 balls. However, while both knocks were impressive, they paled in comparison to the mayhem that Russell produced scoring at a rate of 278 per cent to drive Manchester to within 12 runs of the 200 mark.

Jake Lintott, who dismissed Salt was the best of the Brave bowlers with 1-28 from 20 balls while Michael Hogan took Buttler’s wicket to finish with 1-48 from his 20 ball allotment.

Faced with a daunting target, Southampton crumbled under the scoreboard pressure, capitulating to 120 all out.

Openers Quinton de Kock (21) and James Vince (20) gave them a good enough platform with an opening stand of 36 but Southampton Brave were simply unable to maintain the scoring rate of 1.88 runs per ball.

George Garton’s 25 from 14 balls and Ross Whiteley 21 from 12 attempted a short-lived late-order revival that would invariably come to nought.
Russell picked up the wicket of the dangerous Tim David, who made a run-a-ball 10 to finish with figures of 1-7 from five balls.

It was Paul Walter, though, who did the most damage with 3-20 from 15 balls. Mark Pattinson and Tristan Stubbs took two wickets each for the Manchester Originals.

For his heroic efforts with bat and ball, Russell was named Player of the Match.

Dr. Scott Jennings created history on Tuesday when he won the gold medal in the 83kg class at the 19^th NAPF North American Regional Powerlifting Championships in Panama City, Panama.

It was the first time a Jamaican athlete was winning a gold medal in powerlifting in an international competition.

Dr Jennings recorded a deadlift of 312.5kg and a total score of 732.5kg.

Deandra Dottin produced a match-winning all-round performance in the Women’s 100 competition in England to lead Manchester Originals Women to an 11-run victory over Welsh Fire Women on Tuesday.

Dottin’s unbeaten 37-ball 67 propelled Manchester Originals’ to 156-2 from their 100 balls.

Dottin, who recently retired from international cricket and Sophie Ecclestone, who made an unbeaten 36, were mainly responsible for MO’s winning total after they lost opener, Emma Lamb, for 35 and Lizelle Lee for just three.

Alex Hartley had the best figures for Welsh Fire with 1-17 from 20 balls while Annabel Sutherland took 1-33 from her 20-ball allotment.

Needing 157, Welsh Fire made a fist of it, scoring 145-3, thanks mainly to the efforts of openers Tammy Beaumont who scored 45 from 42 balls with five fours and Hayley Matthews, who smashed 69 from 41 balls, blazing 12 fours along the way.

Dottin dismissed Racheal Haynes for 11 and Sutherland for 0 as the Welsh Fire chase fizzled, to return figures of 2-21 from 15 balls.

Ecclestone who took the prized wicket of Matthews had figures of 1-27 from her 20 balls.

The four men who pleaded guilty to causing grievous harm to Grenada’s elite athlete Anderson Peters were each fined a total of EC$5,500 when they appeared before a judge in the St George’s No.1 Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

All four Trinidadians were ordered remanded in custody until the fines are paid. Failure to pay the fines could mean up to 18 months in prison for each man.

Mikhail John, a 35-year-old sailor, John Alexander, a 55-year-old deckhand, Noel Cooper, 42, the captain of the Harbour Master party boat, and Sheon Jack, a 28-year-old sailor, all pleaded guilty to charges of grievous harm against Anderson Peters and his brother Kiddon.

On the charge of grievous harm, each man was fined EC$3500 to be paid forthwith and in default face a year in prison; on the charge of causing harm each man was fined US$2000 to be paid forthwith or face six months imprisonment.

On Monday, prosecutors dropped the charges against 40-year-old Abiola Benjamin after reviewing a video of the incident that showed he was trying to separate the men involved in the altercation in which Peters suffered injuries to his ankle, elbow and face and was thrown overboard.

Meanwhile, 45-year-old sailor Lance Wiggins pleaded not guilty to the charges and was eventually released after prosecutors decided that the evidence against him was insufficient to bring about prosecution.

Peters was beaten and thrown overboard the Harbour Master party boat on the night of Wednesday, August 10. He suffered injuries to his ankle, elbow, and shoulder. He now faces a race against time to recover in order to complete his season on the Diamond League circuit.

If he is unable to, he stands to potentially lose tens of thousands of US dollars in earnings.

Peters has retained the services of Derick Sylvester in his quest to pursue a civil case against the convicted men.

Four of the six Trinidadians charged last week Friday, August 12, in connection with the assault on Grenada's Anderson Peters, the 2022 World javelin champion, pleaded guilty in the St George's Magistrates Court in Grenada on Monday.

They are set to return to the St George’s No.1 Magistrates Court on Wednesday facing the possibility of a maximum five-year prison sentence and hefty fines.

Mikhail John, a 35-year-old sailor, John Alexander, a 55-year-old deckhand, Noel Cooper, 42, the captain of the Harbour Master party boat, and Sheon Jack, a 28-year-old sailor, all pleaded guilty to charges of grievous harm against Anderson Peters and his brother Kiddon.

Prosecutors dropped the charges against 40-year-old Abiola Benjamin after a review of a video of the incident showed he was trying to separate the men involved in the altercation in which Peters suffered injuries to his ankle, elbow and face and was thrown overboard.

Meanwhile, 45-year-old sailor Lance Wiggins pleaded not guilty to the charges and was eventually released after prosecutors decided that the evidence against him was insufficient to bring about a successful prosecution.

Peters, 24, was involved in a brawl aboard the Harbour Master on the night of Wednesday, August 10. Video of the incident showed several men attacking and punching Peters, who had travelled home for a brief vacation after winning the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England a few days prior.

His coach Paul Phillip said the two-time world champion suffered from what appeared to be an ankle sprain as well as bruises to his elbow, neck and face, which put his participation in the Lausanne Diamond League meeting on August 26 in doubt.

In a statement released on the weekend, the captain of the Harbour Master claimed that it was Peters who was the aggressor and is what triggered the beat-down the elite athlete suffered.

Peters and his brother were in court Monday and were seated behind the six suspects. Reports indicate that Peters and his brother have retained the services of attorney Derick Sylvester with a view to filing a civil suit against the guilty.

Half-centuries from Sharmarh Brooks and Player-of-the-Match Brandon King helped the West Indies salvage a measure of pride after they defeated New Zealand by eight wickets with six balls to spare in the third and final T20 International at Sabina Park in Kingston on Sunday.

New Zealand took the series 2-1 after winning the first T20 international by 13 runs last Wednesday and humiliating the West Indies by 90 runs on Friday, which meant that Sunday’s match was a dead rubber with only pride at stake for the home side.

Set a target of 147, the West Indies cruised to 150-2 from 19 overs.

The victory was set up by an opening stand of 102 between Brooks, who was unbeaten on 56 and King who entertained the small crowd gathered with 53 from 35 balls, his first T20 international half-century on home soil and his fifth overall.

It was the first opening stand of 100 or more by the West Indies since January 2020 against Ireland.

King eventually got out in the 14^th over attempting to pull Tim Southee over the square-leg boundary but was caught by Martin Guptill running in from deep.

Devon Thomas wasted an opportunity to get some runs under his belt when he was caught at deep midwicket by Glen Phillips for five to leave the West Indies 113-2 mid-way the 15^th over.

Stand-in captain Rovman Powell ensured that there would be no jitters. He scored 27 not out including the match-winning six over the midwicket boundary from James Neesham’s final delivery.

Powell and Brooks shared a 37-run partnership that took the home side to victory.

For the first time in the series, the bowlers and batsmen were on song.

Odean Smith took T20I career-best figures of 3-29, Dominic Drakes bowled tidily to finish with 1-19 and Akeal Hosein 2-28 to restrict New Zealand to 145-7, their lowest total of the series.

Phillips followed up his 76 from the second T20 international with a 26-ball 41 but New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals and were unable to put together any meaningful partnerships.

In fact, it was a 47-run fourth-wicket partnership between Kane Williamson (24) and Phillips that helped the tourists set a respectable total after struggling to 57-3 in the ninth over.

Devon Conway’s 21 was the only other score of note as the West Indies bowlers maintained a stranglehold throughout the 20 overs.

Could Shely-Ann Fraser Pryce's meet record of 10.60 be on borrowed time when three of the four fastest women in the world this year line up for the 100m at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting on August 26?

World 200m champion Shericka Jackson, Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles gold medallist Rasheed Broadbell and Christopher Taylor have all been included in Jamaica’s 39-member team to the NACAC Area Championships set to run from August 19-21 in The Bahamas.

Six people remain in police custody in Grenada in connection with the attack on world javelin champion Anderson Peters on the Harbour Master party time on the Spice Island on Wednesday night, the Royal Grenada Police reported on Friday.

Investigations are continuing about the incident wherein the athlete was involved in a brawl with several men said to be from Trinidad and Tobago but so far no charges have been filed, police said. However, there are concerns over the athlete’s health following the incident.

The police said he was treated at a hospital and released but Paul Phillip, who coaches the athlete revealed on the Sportsmax Zone on Friday evening that Peters’ suffered injury to his left ankle as well as bruises to his elbow, neck and face.

According to Phillip, the ankle injury is of greatest concern as that is the ankle Peters’ throws off and it appears he has suffered a sprain which could prevent him from competing at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne on August 26.

The incident has drawn strong reactions across the region including Brian Lewis, President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) who expressed “shock and dismay” at the incident.

Discussions at a diplomatic level have also been engaged between representatives of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, who have said that it is hoped that justice will be served.

When the P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy’s Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball Summer League (E1CBL) tips off at the National Indoor Arena in Kingston on Saturday, August 13, one of the more highly anticipated match-ups, will be the game between Team Horizon (Red) and Team Rivers (Blue) as it will feature the number-one draft pick Nicholai Brown against the talented Dave Black, who are both looking forward to the contest.

Brown believes his team will be ready and expect to win based on what he believes will be the foundation of Team Horizon’s success.

“Going into this league, just the basic things of basketball, playing defence,” he said.

“I am a good defensive player so I am expecting my team to play good defence because from good defence comes great offence. So I am expecting my teammates to play good defence and each player, whether we are playing zone or man so I am expecting good things from them.”

From a personal standpoint, Brown, Team Horizon’s co-captain, said he is eagerly anticipating going up against Black, who is co-captain of Team Rivers.

“The first match is going to be great. We are playing against Dave (Black). He is a great player. I have always wanted to play against him. I have seen what he can do over the week that I have been playing with him,” Brown said.

“I think all my teammates are looking forward to playing against Team Blue. They are as excited as I am. My teammates are all good competitors so it’s going to be a good game.”

Meanwhile, Black said Team Rivers plans to play exciting basketball that will entertain the fans.

“After the first practice, I think we have good chemistry going into Saturday’s game. We just want to get up and down the court fast and play some exciting basketball,” Black said.

“We have a lot of talent on our team and we just want to go out there and compete. We had our first practice yesterday (Wednesday) and this morning (Thursday) and our expectation is to win the tournament.

“I think we have one of the best teams. In our first game, we’ll be trying to get stops, trying to go on the break and playing exciting basketball not only for the coaches but also for the fans. We want everybody to have fun watching some great basketball.”

The Caribbean’s biggest basketball entertainment event of the season is being hosted in collaboration with the Jamaica Basketball Association.

The tournament starts at 5:00 pm with an opening ceremony, followed by competition between the four teams in the league - Elite 1 Rivers, Elite 1 Waves, Elite 1 Horizon, and Elite 1 Storm. Each team comprises top-tier professional players from Jamaica, Barbados, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ghana.

Sunshine Girl Romelda Aiken George is now a mom after giving birth to a daughter Gianna earlier this week. Gianna is the first child of the naturalized Australian and her husband Dan, who has three other children from a previous relationship.

She shared the news on social media early on Friday.

“Welcome to this crazy world our beautiful baby Gianna George. We’re so in love with you,” she posted on Instagram.

The post drew reactions from a number of former players including now retired Jamaican player Vangelee Williams, who posted “She’s adorable Diddy. Congratulations to you both.”

Australian player Nat Medhurst, herself a mother said, “A massive congratulations Diddy and Dan. Welcome to the world, Gianna. Lots of love to you all.”

England player Helen Housby was also among those who offered congratulatory messages to the new mom. “Congratulations guys. She’s gorgeous!”

Romelda and Dan, a former basketball player turned businessman, were married in September 2021 at the conclusion of the Suncorp Super Netball Season and have now started to build a family.

Aiken has been playing professional netball in Australia since 2008 when she was signed by the Queensland Firebirds and has won three titles with them. She became an Australian citizen in January 2020.

Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell has condemned the attack on 2022 World javelin champion Anderson Peters on Wednesday night and expects a speedy conclusion to the investigation being conducted by the Royal Grenada Police.

No one has yet been charged in connection with the incident night in which Grenada’s javelin world champion was beaten and thrown overboard a boat in his homeland on Wednesday.

Molynes United Football Club has appointed Alex Thomas as their head coach for the upcoming Jamaica Premier League season.