Jamaican champions Cavalier FC had a number of standout performances in the recently-concluded Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-finals, and so it comes as no surprise that seven of their players are named in the organiser’s Best Eleven (XI) from those fixtures.

Cavalier, who are set to contest the two-leg finals against Dominican Republic counterparts Cibao FC on November 26 and December 3, will be hoping to continue their rich vein of form to cop the Caribbean Cup on this occasion. They lost last year’s final to Suriname’s Robinhood.

Among those that had standout performances for Cavalier are Suriname-born Shaquille Stein and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kaile Auvray, along with defenders Richard King and Jeovanni Laing.

The 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Best XI for the semifinal fixtures is:

Goalkeeper

Miguel Lloyd, Cibao FC – With four saves in two games, Lloyd helped decide a tightly contested series against Haiti’s Real Hope to help Cibao reach the final. He had a clean sheet in the second leg to seal a 4-2 win on aggregate.

Defenders

Jimmy Guillaume, Real Hope FA – Guillaume was active along the defensive line for Real Hope in the series against Cibao. He was one of the most effective passers of the semifinals with an 88% accuracy.

Richard King, Cavalier FC – King contributed to two clean sheet performances in their contest against Dominican Republic outfit, Moca FC. He had two steals and five shots in 190 minutes to help Cavalier reach the final.

Jeovanni Laing, Cavalier FC – Laing had three steals and one shot in 180 minutes to help Cavalier keep consecutive clean sheets and advance to the final.

Christopher Ainsworth, Cavalier FC – Ainsworth scored a goal to help Cavalier to victory in the second leg. He also had one steal for a defensive line that did not concede in the semifinals.

Midfielders

Rivaldo Correa, Cibao FC – Correa added two goals to his tally in the semifinals, along with one steal, to help Cibao reach the final with a 4-2 aggregate.

Jean López, Cibao FC – Lopez struck the opening goal of the series against Real Hope and contributed one assist and two steals.

Juan Díaz, Cibao FC – Díaz scored a goal and added three steals to help Cibao advance to the final, overcoming Real Hope.

Dwayne Atkinson, Cavalier FC – Atkinson continued his offensive rhythm in the current campaign with one goal, 10 attempts and two assists.

Forwards

Shaquille Stein, Cavalier FC – Stein struck a hat-trick to help Cavalier advance to the final while also taking the lead in the Golden Boot race.

Kaile Auvray, Cavalier FC – Auvray scored a brace, including the series-winning goal, to help Cavalier return to another Caribbean Cup final.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) is set to receive a $2 million injection from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development towards its Fifa World Cup campaign.

Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis pointed out that the funds to be distributed between 2024-2026 will be $1 million for the first year, with another $1 million to come in the second year, provided that her ministry is satisfied with how the money is being spent.

“What we have done is support TTFA’s proposal for their World Cup campaign. They submitted to us a World Cup proposal... and we are making a contribution to their proposal like governments have done in the past. This time they have submitted the terms and so on, as it relates to the terms and conditions of the contract between Dwight Yorke and the TTFA," Cudjoe-Lewis told T&T Newsday. 

Keith Joseph, President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), delivered a stinging critique of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) in a statement released on Tuesday, November 5. Joseph suggested that ANOC has lost its way and is no longer equipped to lead in today’s dynamic global sports environment.

Joseph's comments follow last week's ANOC General Assembly in Cascais, Portugal, where he said many attendees left with a sense of frustration and disillusionment over ANOC’s purpose and direction. Reflecting on ANOC’s original mission, Joseph noted, “ANOC was created as a forum for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to address shared issues and make recommendations for mutual development. Yet, the current structure, dominated by IOC members, has turned these Assemblies into a platform where the IOC seems to be speaking primarily to itself.”

A primary concern raised by Joseph was the lack of NOC representation in selecting representatives for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He highlighted the disparity between athletes, who generate the Olympic Games' profits, and the limited voice of the NOCs in crucial decision-making processes, asserting that athletes deserve prize money as fair compensation.

Joseph put forth a resolution on behalf of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SVGOC), which reportedly gained traction, with ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg indicating support from the IOC President. Joseph expressed optimism that ANOC will take meaningful steps to address the issues raised.

The statement also underscored CANOC’s growing stature within the international sports community. CANOC was acknowledged during the Assembly by a Deloitte representative, who lauded CANOC’s Sustainability Action Plan 2025–2030. The Assembly also facilitated discussions to broaden the sports program for the Caribbean Games, further strengthening CANOC’s role in advancing Caribbean sports.

Joseph concluded his statement by reinforcing CANOC’s commitment to the Caribbean, emphasizing the importance of unity in overcoming challenges and building a legacy future generations can be proud of.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles recorded their first win of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup with an eight-wicket DLS method win over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on Tuesday.

In a match reduced to 41 overs-per side, the Hurricanes were first bundled out for 139 in 34.2 overs after being put in to bat by the Harpy Eagles.

Captain Rakheem Cornwall top scored with 36 while Jeremiah Louis made 34.

Justin Greaves, who came into this game on the back of scores of 111* against the West Indies Academy, 112 against the Barbados Pride and 151* against the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, could only manage 27 this time around.

Man of the match Veerasammy Permaul took 3-24 from nine overs and was supported well by Ashmead Nedd and Nial Smith who took 2-19 from eight overs and 2-42 from eight overs, respectively.

Guyana then needed only 27.5 overs to reach 141-2 thanks to half centuries from captain Tevin Imlach and Matthew Nandu.

Imlach made 69* off 76 balls, his third fifty of the season, while Nandu made a 74-ball 50.

Full Scores:

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 139 off 34.2 overs (Rakheem Cornwall 36, Jeremiah Louis 34, Justin Greaves 27, Veerasammy Permaul 3-24, Ashmead Nedd 2-19, Nial Smith 2-42)

Guyana Harpy Eagles 141-2 off 27.5 overs (Tevin Imlach 69*, Matthew Nandu 50).

The Jamaica Scorpions entered this year’s CG United Super50 Cup after a winless season last year and lost their first game to the Barbados Pride to increase that streak to eight.

They broke that streak in their last game with an 80-run DLS method win over the West Indies Academy on Saturday.

On Tuesday, they got their second win in a row, another DLS method victory, this time by 19 runs over the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Queen's Park Oval.

The Scorpions, after winning the toss and batting first, reached 155-4 in the 31^st over before rain brought their innings to a close.

Kirk McKenzie, on the back of 90 against the West Indies Academy on Saturday, was 59* off 75 balls at the time of the stoppage while captain John Campbell made a 49-ball 41.

Darel Cyrus had figures of 2-21 off 5.1 overs.

The Volcanoes, chasing a revised total of 205 off 30 overs for victory, were dismissed for 186 off 29.3 overs.

Captain Sunil Ambris led the way with the bat for the Volcanoes with 59 while Shamar Springer and Kavem Hodge hit 37 and 36, respectively.

Marquino Mindley was the pick of the Jamaican bowlers with 4-33 from six overs while Tamarie Redwood and Odean Smith each had figures of 2-31 from six overs and 5.3 overs, respectively.

Full Scores:

Jamaica Scorpions 155-4 off 30.1 overs (Kirk McKenzie 59*, John Campbell 41, Darel Cyrus 2-21)

Windward Islands Volcanoes 186 off 29.3 overs (Sunil Ambris 59, Shamar Springer 37, Kavem Hodge 36, Marquino Mindley 4-33, Tamarie Redwood 2-31, Odean Smith 2-31).

The win moves the Scorpions into fourth on the points table with 20 behind the Barbados Pride (31), Leeward Islands Hurricanes (26) and the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force (25).

With West Indies women set to make a return to Test cricket after a 20-year hiatus from the sport’s longest format, men’s ODI captain Shai Hope welcomed the move as a step in the right direction.

Hope’s comments came after the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced its line-up for the Blockbuster Women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2025-2029.

The Maroon women reignite the region’s Test status when they play host to Australia for one match in 2026, 50 years after the Caribbean team made its Test debut against the Australians in 1976.

England women play against the West Indies in 2027, and this will be the first meeting between the two teams in this format since 1979. It was also confirmed that the West Indies women will travel to South Africa for an away Test in 2028.

Shai Hope.

WI women have not played a Test match since 2004. Their short record from four Test series stands at three draws and one loss to England.

The Maroon team played Australia (0-0) in 1976, India in 1977 (1-1), lost to England (2-0) in 1979, and drew against Pakistan (0-0) in 2004. The 1976 match against Australia was the last time West Indies played a Test match at home.

“It is always a step in the right direction. Anytime you get opportunities to excel and improve,” Hope said on Tuesday ahead of his team’s decisive ODI clash against England in Barbados.

“I think it is going to be great for the women’s game because anytime you’re playing the longer format, it tests your skills in a different way, and you can always use what you learnt from that format into the other formats. So I think it is a step in the right direction, and I wish them all the best,” he added.

Johnny Grave, whose tenure as Cricket West Indies CEO ended last week, raised the prospect of the Windies playing a Test at the iconic Kensington Oval, Barbados.

“When you have an iconic player who will go down in history of our game, in Hayley Mathews (Barbados), it seems right she will have the opportunity to wear a maroon Test cap and lead her team out, hopefully at her home ground of the Kensington Oval at some point in a Test,” Graves told the Stumped podcast.

“Our philosophy has been that red-ball cricket is where you can build your technique, hone your defence and look to score all around the wicket. If that is what we believe for the men, then it has to be the case for the women,” he added.

Sunshine Girls captain Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard says vibes are good in the camp ahead of the team’s crucial four-match Test series against the England Roses this month.

The Girls will first take on the Roses in two games at the AO Arena in Manchester on November 16 and 17 before hosting them at the National Indoor Sports Centre on November 25 and 26.

“The vibe that’s coming from the camp is good,” the five-time Suncorp Super Netball Player of the Year told Sportsmax.tv at a recent training session.

“Everyone is eager and ready to go out there. There are some things that we are learning because some of us are definitely new to the team but I reckon that the vibe has been good and everyone, as I said, is eager and want to go up against England because they’ve been looking good,” she added.

A veteran of over 100 caps for the Sunshine Girls since her debut in 2010, Fowler-Nembhard is no stranger to the magnitude of the rivalry between the Sunshine Girls and the Roses.

In fact, the 35-year-old, when asked about a standout memory facing them, didn’t have just one, instead referencing every time the Sunshine Girls beat them, especially in England.

When asked why she believes the encounters between the two teams are always so competitive, Fowler-Nembhard kept it simple.

“I reckon the reason why it’s always a close game and close series is because there are such amazing players on both sides,” she said.

“We always want to come out on top of each other so it’s going to always be close and we always look forward to playing them,” she added.

The Sunshine Girls will be looking to bounce back from a 1-2 loss to the Roses last January in England and if they are to do that, there is no doubt that their superstar captain would have a massive part to play.

West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin has been named among the three nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the month of October.

Dottin made her comeback for the national side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and was a driving force as the islanders reached their first semi-final at the event since 2018.

She was instrumental in victories over Scotland and Bangladesh, but saved her most valuable contributions for the latter stages, where she shone with the bat, ball and in the field in their group stage win over England, before producing a memorable individual display with 33 runs and four wickets in the thrilling semi-final defeat to eventual champions New Zealand.

Dottin will be going up against New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt for the award.

The nominees for the Men’s award are New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, Pakistan’s Noman Ali and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada.

All-rounder Kevin Sinclair will take no further part in the Guyana Harpy Eagles CG United Super50 Cup campaign in Trinidad and Tobago. The decision made by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) followed the submission of an internal report by the Harpy Eagles' management team that it was necessary to replace the player.

The GCB, in making the revelation, also announced that Kevin Sinclair will be replaced by Junior Sinclair in the squad at the tournament.

Though the GCB’s statement did not clarify if sub-standard performance is the reason behind Kevin Sinclair’s ejection from the squad, it pointed out that it was a “necessary squad adjustment.”

“Following an internal report from the Guyana Harpy Eagles management, it has been decided that Kevin Sinclair will no longer be participating in this year’s competition,” the statement read.

In the three matches played in the Super50 Cup, Kevin Sinclair tallied 14 runs and snared three wickets.

He made 14 from 16 balls against Windward Volcanoes and took 2-66 from 10 overs in the same match.

However, he did not bat in the rained-out contest against Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners and was dismissed without a score against Barbados Pride and only took 1-26 from 10 overs in that same match.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles are winless after three matches.

A similar situation arose last year during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament when organisers announced Kevin left the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for “personal reasons.”

Kevin Sinclair’s departure opens the door for Junior Sinclair to take up a spot in the Harpy Eagles squad ahead of Tuesday’s contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

Guyana Harpy Eagles Squad: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Matthew Nandu, Tevin Imlach (captain), Kevlon Anderson, Kemol Savory, Junior Sinclair, Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Ronaldo Aimohamed, Veerasammy Permaul, Isai Thorne, Ashmead Nedd, Nial Smith, Sylus Tyndall, Rampertab Ramnauth.

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards has given recently appointed Head coach Dwight Yorke a mandate of qualifying the senior Soca Warriors to the Fifa Men’s World Cup or risk being replaced.

Edwards made the declaration during an interview on I95.5 FM on Saturday, as he pointed out that their World Cup qualifying ambition was the driving force behind the move to replace Angus Eve.

“It’s not just about selecting a coach. It is about the process, the journey and qualifying to the World Cup,” Edwards said.

Still, Edwards, who was elected TTFA president in April, explained that getting to the World Cup was a medium-term goal for his administration and, as such, they opted for a change in approach to accomplish that objective.

“We had to get the process right. We had to get where we wanted to go and make sure we had the mechanics within the TTFA right to make sure we get there and I think we reached the best choice for the men’s national senior team,” he shared.

“The entire team met and we laid out our short-term goals, medium-term goals and long-term goals. The medium-term goal was to qualify for the World Cup in the next two years. When we evaluated everything, we thought we needed a change...and the executive decided we wanted to go in a different direction.” Edwards added.

That said, Edwards reaffirmed his unwavering support for the current crop of Soca Warriors players to get the Twin Island Republic to another World Cup for the first time since 2006.

In fact, he revealed that Yorke’s two-year contract is with an agreement that he successfully qualifies the team to the 2026 global showpiece.

The Soca Warriors currently sit second in Group B on four points, two points behind leaders Costa Rica ahead of the resumption of qualifying action in 2025.

“With the right support and with the guys we have, I do believe we can qualify for a World Cup. We need a coach that understands the culture we have, with players coming back in two, three days before a game. Dwight was the ideal choice for us and he understands the culture of teams in Concacaf as well,” Edwards noted.

“In terms of that professional to approach the game, I think Dwight really brings that to T&T football. I think this project for our executive and for Dwight is about qualifying for the World Cup. It’s qualifying for the World Cup or nothing. I am sure I know Dwight’s pride. He will not stay on with the TTFA or with any club if he has failed to live up to his high standards,” the TTFA president opined.

Beyond the on-field obligations Edwards said it will take an estimated US$4 million to ensure Yorke and his team has the best possible chance throughout their campaign.

“The government through the Ministry of Sport has been involved in every campaign. We truly believe qualifying for the World Cup, taking it to the back end of 2025 will take about US$4 million. When we relate the proposal, we are hoping to get 30-33 per cent from the government,” Edwards said.

General Secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation, Dennis Chung, is hoping that Jamaicans come out in their numbers to support the Reggae Boyz during both legs of their CONCACAF Nations League Quarter-final at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday, November 14 and Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday, November 18.

The Reggae Boyz will be looking for revenge over their American counterparts after suffering defeat to them at the semi-final stage of last season’s Nations League 1-3 in extra time. The USA went on to win the whole thing with a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the final while the Reggae Boyz beat Panama 1-0 to claim third place.

If the Boyz are to get over the hump this time around, Chung understands that a massive part of it will be the energy they receive from the thousands of Jamaican fans in attendance.

“We are at the quarterfinal stage. We want to ensure that we are there in our numbers supporting the Boyz because we have to make it past the mighty USA which, after we finish with them, they won’t be so mighty,” Chung said in press conference on Monday.

As such, three support groups for Jamaican football-Reggae Boyz Supporters Club, Reggae Football Fans Club and Reggae Boyz Community, are all making it possible for fans from all over the diaspora to have an opportunity to cheer on the Reggae Boyz live and in person.

“We want to welcome this partnership because this is a way for us now to reach our fanbase. We want to ensure that everyone is involved. At the last two games we had over 17,000 people in attendance and that, for us, is very important. It’s not just about playing football. It’s about getting everybody involved,” Chung said on Monday.

Errol Walters and Louis Grant, members of the Reggae Football Fans Club, were also on hand on Monday and gave an overview of this initiative.

“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be serving our country in this way. What we’re trying to do is create an opportunity for fans in the diaspora that we use our collective bargaining power to negotiate to go to the games,” Walters said.

“There are times when I’m in London and want to go to a game and I have no one to travel with so it was always my dream to create a database to say listen, who’s going to the game from where,” Walters added.

Grant explained that this idea came about because of the desire of members of the diaspora to be a driving force behind the support of the team on their journey to the World Cup in 2026.

“This was birthed out a desire to be the proverbial 12^th man for our football teams and more so for the second iteration of the historic trip to the World Cup. We, as members of the diaspora here in the United States, think it’s only right that we play our part in drumming up support as far as leveraging air travel, accommodation, and support,”

“For example, we’ve been in touch with US Soccer with regards to the game in St. Louis. We’ve gotten a section that we can have all or most of our supporters concentrated to create that ‘Office’ vibe,”

“In my experience, we’ve gone to games in my area and you’d see our supporters and our flag sparsely across the various stadiums and we are of the opinion that if we were more concentrated in one section, it bodes well or it is a better look and feel for our team,” he added.

Jamaican fitness athlete Deidre Lewis is celebrating a well-earned third-place finish at the IFBB Pro Mr. and Miss Argentina competition, where she competed in the Bikini Fitness Professional category. Lewis stood proudly on the podium behind Brazilian competitors Larissa Dick, who claimed the title, and Flavia Carneiro, who placed second. Rounding out the top five were Franziska Lohberger of Germany in fourth and Anna Wozniakowska of Poland in fifth, completing a competitive lineup of elite pros.

Competing against a field of nine accomplished athletes, Lewis expressed her satisfaction with her performance, crediting her success to adjustments she made based on judges’ feedback from previous competitions. Earlier this year, she competed in the Roger Boyce Classic in Barbados, where judges advised her to work on tightening her glutes. Taking this feedback to heart, Lewis dedicated herself to refining her physique, increasing both muscle definition and overall balance.

 "I am pleased, elated, and satisfied," Lewis said. "I made major improvements based on the judges' feedback and where I want to be in the sport, and it paid off. It was a tough lineup with nine competitive pros, and I am happy I represented my country well."

 For her Argentina showing, Lewis maintained her size from the Barbados competition and focused on making her legs slightly bigger to enhance her shape and symmetry. Her efforts paid off, and she left a strong impression on the judges and audience alike. Still, she remains determined to push her performance to even greater heights.

 Reflecting on feedback from Argentina, Lewis shared that the judges suggested she could benefit from presenting a more shredded look. With her next competition, the Mr. Universe Chile Pro on November 23-24, just weeks away, Lewis plans to dial in her conditioning to meet this goal and present an even more refined physique on stage.

 With her dedication to continuous improvement, Deidre Lewis is proving herself to be a force in the Bikini Fitness Professional category. Her podium finish in Argentina highlights her growth in the sport, and her sights are now firmly set on achieving even greater success in Chile.

The West Indies Academy recorded their first win of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup season with a 22-run DLS method win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St. Augustine on Monday.

CCC, who were also seeking their first win of the season, were first dismissed for 174 in 39.5 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Experienced opener Kieran Powell top scored with 46 off 42 balls including eight fours while Shaqkere Parris made 40 and Johann Jeremiah hit 33.

Jediah Blades continued his good form with the ball this season with 3-23 from six overs and was well supported by Zishan Motara who took 3-31 from his 10 overs.

Joshua Bishop also bowled well with 2-25 from 6.5 overs.

In reply, the Academy were 167-7 off 40.5 overs, 22 runs ahead of the DLS par score when the rain brought an end to proceedings.

Andrew Rambaran and Johann Layne put together a crucial eighth wicket partnership, helping the Academy recover from 118-7 in the 29^th over.

Rambaran finished 37* while Layne finished 25* off 28 balls including two fours and two sixes.

Earlier, Rivaldo Clarke top scored with 38. Romario Greaves was excellent with the ball for the CCC with 5-45 from his 10 overs while the other two wickets were split between Akeem Jordan and Abhijai Mansingh.

Full Scores:

Combined Campuses and Colleges 174 off 39.5 overs (Kieran Powell 46, Shaqkere Parris 40, Johann Jeremiah 33, Jediah Blades 3-23, Zishan Motara 3-31, Joshua Bishop 2-25)

West Indies Academy 167-7 off 40.5 overs (Rivaldo Clarke 38, Andrew Rambaran 37*, Johann Layne 25*, Romario Greaves 5-45).