Jhanielle Fowler had another near perfect night but her West Coast Fever had to hold off a spirited comeback from the Queensland Firebirds to snatch their fifth-straight victory 73-71 in the Suncorp Super Netball League at the Nissan Arena on Saturday night.
The towering Jamaican goal shooter scored 60 of 61 shots as the defending champions outscored their opponents 25-15 and 18-15 over the first two quarters to take a 13-goal lead into the half-time break. Sasha Glasgow who was a perfect five for five and scored three of six super shots was also key to the victory as the Firebirds provided the champions with a genuine scare.
Whereas the Fever were dominant in the first half, the Firebirds showed that they too could play that game in the second.
Donnell Wallan, who scored 48 goals from 53 attempts and sunk seven of 10 super shots in the game, helped the Firebirds storm back to outscore the Fever 21-15 in the third and 25-20 in the final stanza. She got support from Emily Moore who was perfect inside the circle and who hit one of two super shots and Mia Mayer (2/2) and scored one of two super shots to come within two goals of the champions.
However, that was as close as they would get as the Fever desperately held on for the win.
Fowler has missed only four attempts on goal in five matches this season, scoring 280 goals from 284 attempts.
Meanwhile, Romelda Aiken-George scored 43 goals from 49 attempts to lead the New South Wales Swifts to a close 64-63 win over Sunshine Coast Lightning at the UniSC Arena.
Over at the Ken Rosewall Arena, Shimona Nelson scored 36 goals from 38 attempts but her Collingwood Magies lost 59-55 to GIANTS for whom Jo Harten scored 33 from 35 and Sophie Dwyer 20 from 22.
St Louis City snapped their two-game losing skid with a statement win where they piled on five goals within an hour in a 5-1 hammering over Eastern Conference-leading Cincinnati on Saturday.
The MLS expansion side had suffered back-to-back losses after creating league history by winning their first five games but responded at CityPark.
Jared Stroud fired in a third-minute opener from a set-piece before Eduard Lowen lashed home a volley in the 39th minute.
Kyle Hiebert glanced in Stroud's cross in first-half stoppage-time and St Louis did not relent after the break, with Nicholas Gioacchini adding another from Rasmus Alm's classy touch in the 53rd minute.
It was five in the 57th minute when Alm's rifled strike from outside the box hit the post and deflected in off goalkeeper Roman Celentano.
Sergio Santos grabbed a consolation for Cincy, who were unbeaten coming into this encounter.
Dairon Asprilla netted an early goal of the year contender with an acrobatic bicycle kick to equalise for Portland Timbers before they raced away with a 4-1 win over Seattle Sounders.
Asprilla brilliantly netted in the 71st minute before Portland added a further three goals in the final 20 minutes, meaning Seattle slipped from top spot in the West.
Sean Zawadzki netted a 90th-minute equaliser as Columbus Crew pinched a 1-1 home draw with 10-man New England, who move up to top spot in the Eastern Conference ahead of Cincinnati.
Lorenzo Insigne returned from a groin injury as Toronto drew 2-2 with Atlanta. Toronto have drawn four games in a row.
DC United ended their six-game winless run with a 1-0 victory over last-placed Montreal, while New York Red Bulls' streak without a win extended to four games after a 1-1 draw with Houston Dynamo.
Keaton Parks and Maxime Chanot scored excellent early goals as New York City moved up to fifth in the East with a 2-1 win over Nashville.
Austin drew 0-0 with Vancouver Whitecaps, while Orlando City rallied from behind to get past Minnesota United 2-1.
Bernard Kamungo scored an 88th-minute winner as Dallas moved up to fourth in the West with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake, while San Jose Earthquakes crushed Sporting KC 3-0 with a Jeremy Ebobisse double.
Struggling Charlotte drew 2-2 with Colorado Rapids and Philadelphia Union's winless run extended to five games with a 2-2 draw at Chicago Fire although they fought back from 2-0 down.
Animal rights campaigners succeeded in delaying the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday as police arrested 118 people amid scenes of chaos.
Corach Rambler won the 175th running of the famous steeplechase; however, the start was held up for 14 minutes after a large number of activists attempted to gain access to the course before the main event.
Merseyside Police said arrests had been made for "offences including causing public nuisance and criminal damages", with efforts to breach the perimeter fence and enter the track largely thwarted.
The Aintree spectacle is among the world's most famous races but also has many detractors, with concerns over the number of horses that suffer serious injuries or die from falls.
Two horses died at the Liverpool course in earlier races during this week's Grand National Festival, and a third passed away in the big race itself, with Hill Sixteen dying after falling early on.
Police and security had been on alert for a likely effort to interrupt the race.
Assistant chief constable Paul White said: "The perimeter of Aintree racecourse covers an extensive area of between 4-5km and obviously poses challenges for policing. However, we have been planning the policing of this event for a number of months and we had a robust plan in place to ensure that we had adequate staff to deal with it.
"Just after 5pm a large number of protesters attempted to gain entry onto Aintree racecourse. The majority were prevented from breaching the boundary fencing thanks to our planning and the work of my officers.
"I can confirm a total of 118 people have been arrested today. I would like to thank everyone for their patience whilst this matter was dealt with in a safe and appropriate manner."
After the protest drama, pre-race favourite Corach Rambler lived up to that billing by timing the finish to perfection, coming home ahead of Vanillier, with third place going to Gaillard Du Mesnil.
Reacting to the news of Hill Sixteen's death, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), indicated its concerns about horse safety at the meeting.
The RSPCA said on Twitter: "‘We are very distressed to hear of the deaths of Hill Sixteen, Dark Raven and Envoye Special at the Grand National Festival today. We will be discussing this incident with the British Horseracing Authority."
LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney acknowledges his side are no longer the powerhouse they once were in MLS, as his out-of-form team prepare for a derby clash with Los Angeles FC this weekend.
The LA rivals will play out the latest edition of El Trafico at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday, with Galaxy looking to arrest a dismal start to the 2023 season.
Galaxy are winless in their first six MLS matches, with three draws and three defeats leaving them just above the foot of the Western Conference.
It almost a decade since Galaxy were the dominant force in the competition, and with LAFC's own MLS Cup success last term, they have been supplanted as the dominant force in southern California since the latter's arrival in 2018.
Vanney said: "We understand where we're at, and we understand where we're going, and we also understand the context of the situation.
"There are now 29 teams in the league that are also trying to do the same thing. This is no longer a league of 12 teams or 19 teams of which the Galaxy is the spender.
"We're in a league with a lot of very ambitious clubs and teams and, some that have [spent] are ahead of us in terms of making roster decisions who have settled their groups in."
Steve Cherundolo, meanwhile, is paying no attention to the difference in ladder position between the two sides ahead of their encounter.
Instead, the LAFC boss is expecting the usual feisty derby and hard-fought battle for points.
"It's always competitive," he said. "We will always see the best of the Galaxy. We expect much of the same on Sunday."
The pair split the win share equally in four games last term, though it was LAFC who claimed El Trafico's most crucial game in the play-offs last year.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig
Former Barcelona midfielder Puig has been busy in attack, even if he has lacked the reward, having made 37 attempts to take on defenders this season.
Puig has been successful on 24 occasions. No player with 25 or more attempts this season has a higher success rate than Puig, with 64.8 per cent.
LAFC – Carlos Vela
Vela has scored 10 goals in 11 career MLS appearances against the Galaxy, the joint-best for any player against a single opponent since LAFC joined the league in 2018.
That said, he has not found the back of the net in any of his last four meetings in El Trafico, marking something of a barren run for him.
MATCH PREDICTION – LAFC WIN
Galaxy and LAFC each claimed victory in their two home matches against the other in 2022, including the latter's 3-2 win during the play-offs. Eight of the 16 MLS meetings between the sides have featured at least five goals, including each of the last two.
Galaxy have earned just three points in their first six matches this season (W0 D3 L3), matching their worst-ever record for fewest points at this stage of a season, set during the 1997 campaign.
LAFC have won their first four home matches this MLS season but have played out scoreless draws in both of their away games. Prior to those last two encounters, none of their first 77 away trips in MLS had finished without at least one goal.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy - 34.5 per cent
LAFC - 38.1 per cent
Draw - 27.4 per cent
Corach Rambler won the 175th Grand National on Saturday after the race was delayed by a protest from animal welfare campaigners that resulted in 23 people being arrested.
The Aintree steeplechase is among the world's most famous races but also has many detractors, with concerns over the number of horses that suffer serious injuries or die from falls.
Two horses died at the Liverpool course in earlier races during this week's Grand National Festival. Two horses also died during the 2022 showpiece race.
Protests were expected this year, and they manifested in an attempt by a large number of activists to gain access to the course before the main event.
Police and security swiftly move to halt the progress of the protesters, and race was held up for less than 15 minutes.
Merseyside Police revealed that 23 arrests had been made, with more set to follow as the operation continues.
In a statement, the force said: "We are continuing to work with The Jockey Club and other partners to keep people safe during the Grand National Festival.
"We are aware of people who planned to protest at today's event. This has been factored into our plans. We respect the right to peaceful protest and expression of views, but criminal behaviour and disorder will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly."
After the protest drama, pre-race favourite Corach Rambler lived up to that billing by timing the finish to perfection as the earlier leader Mister Coffey faltered.
Corach Rambler finished ahead of Vanillier, with third place going to Gaillard Du Mesnil, after a number of horses fell during the race.
Winning jockey Derek Fox, celebrating his second Grand National triumph after a 2017 victory on One For Arthur, told ITV after the race the credit had to go to Corach Rambler.
"He is just a phenomenal horse. I can't believe it," Fox said.
"He normally gets his head up a wee bit, but today he travelled everywhere. He is the cleverest horse. He is so intelligent."
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz will have to contend with defending champions The United States in Group A of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup set for June 24-July 16 in Canada and the USA.
The pair, who met in the final in 2017 where the USA got a 2-1 win, were drawn alongside Nicaragua and the winner of a play-in scenario involving Curacao, St. Kitts & Nevis, French Guiana and Sint Maarten at Friday’s draw held in Miami.
Group B, arguably the toughest of the tournament, will include Mexico, Haiti, Honduras and Qatar.
Group C will involve Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador and the winner of Matchup 8 while Canada, Guatemala, Cuba and the winner of Matchup 7 will contest Group D.
Prior to the Group Stage, however, there will be a preliminary stage.
This stage will see three teams advance into the group stage. Seeded teams are listed first for Round 1 matchups while the non-seeded teams are second.
Matchup 1: Trinidad and Tobago vs. Guadeloupe
Matchup 2: Martinique vs. St. Lucia
Matchup 3: Curaçao vs. St. Kitts & Nevis
Matchup 4: French Guiana vs. Sint Maarten
Matchup 5: Suriname vs. Puerto Rico
Matchup 6: Guyana vs. Grenada
The pairings for Round 2 have been pre-determined, and will be as follows:
Matchup 7: Winner Matchup 1 vs Winner Matchup 6
Matchup 8: Winner Matchup 2 vs Winner Matchup 5
Matchup 9: Winner Matchup 3 vs Winner Matchup 4
New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has been banned for six MLS games after using racist language during last Saturday's clash with the San Jose Earthquakes.
The encounter was stopped for 15 minutes at Red Bull Arena after Belgium international Vanzeir was involved in a confrontation.
He has since apologised, saying he "made a mistake and will take all the necessary steps to grow", but that did not spare him from firm punishment from league chiefs.
Announcing the suspension in a statement, MLS said it had also imposed a fine of an unspecified sum on Vanzeir, adding he must take part in "league-mandated training and education sessions, as well as a restorative practices programme".
The league added: "MLS is working with both clubs and the MLS Players Association to provide impacted players and staff with support and resources, and is committed to continuing to review and improve its in-game protocol."
Vanzeir will be eligible to return to action against CF Montreal on May 20.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Vanzeir said he would "accept full responsibility for my actions".
"While I did not intend to cause any harm or offense with my language, I know that I did and for that I am deeply sorry," he said.
Anticipating his punishment, Vanzeir added: "I will use this opportunity to better myself, reflect and dedicate my time and efforts to work with organisations that tackle racial injustice."
With some at least two of his star athletes matriculating to college this fall, Hydel High School Head Coach Corey Bennett will be hard-pressed to fill those massive shoes when the new high school track season rolls around.
However, he is optimistic he can find his next set of starlets from within remaining members of team that won their first girls title at the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in Jamaica earlier this month.
Over the past few seasons, Hydel High School has seen a number of their top athletes matriculate to colleges in the United States or have gone pro. Athletes like Oneka Wilson, Shardia and Shadae Lawrence, Charokee Young and others have gone on to further their studies, testament to the school’s emphasis on finding balance between academics and athletics.
Meanwhile, others like Commonwealth Games silver medallist and NACAC Champion Shiann Salmon and Ashanti Moore have gone pro. Young subsequently chose to forego her college eligibility to sign a professional contract last summer.
In 2022, Hydel lost 2022 World U20 200m champion Brianna Lyston to Louisiana State University (LSU) on a scholarship and World U20 sprint hurdles champion and world record holder Kerrica Hill chose to go the professional route.
This coming fall, Alana Reid and Onieka McAnnuff will be the next to leave. Reid, who set a new championship and national junior record of 10.92 at Champs, will begin classes at the University of Oregon while McAnnuff, the talented 400m hurdler and team captain, will take up a scholarship to the University of Kentucky.
Losing them will undoubtedly have significant impact on Hydel’s ability to defend their historic Champs title but Bennett remains optimistic.
“When you have a world-record holder last year leaving prematurely and a record holder at Champs – Brianna and Kerrica leaving – it does set you back and that’s why we take the pressure of winning off the team,” he said.
“It’s just a matter of who else can we put out there that can excel. I thought we had some good performances (at Champs). I want to highlight Jody-Ann Daley, who won the 400m and the hurdles even when at one point she didn’t want to do the hurdles and I said ‘no, come on, you can do it’,” Bennett said.
“And Shemonique Hazle in the 200 when nobody gave her a chance, we believed. We are a small team about 34-members strong and we believe that no matter what, each one can go out there and give of their best and we delivered.
“Let’s hope that next year the girls will come inspired to give of themselves, train hard to be the best versions of themselves and with trust in God with the process.”
Bennett’s comments are in line with his over-arching philosophy of how to build strong teams with limited resources and personnel at Hydel. He revealed that with a four-member team in 2010, Hydel’s first year at Champs, they finished 11th.
For him, the focus has always been on quality than quantity.
“I am still going to build individuals. If I can make the individuals better, then ultimately the team will be better. I am not going to just go and throw persons into events just to win a championship. It is about being very individualistic and getting the best out of persons,” he said.
“Alliah Baker is our top high jumper. She high-jumped in Class IV and got a medal but she is a runner. We want to focus on where we think she will be better so we are not going to seek points, points will seek us. We want to maintain excellence in our girls.”
With the vast improvement in the performances of Jamaican juniors in track & field over the last few years, there has been a steady increase in the number of athletes who forgo a tertiary education to pursue a professional career immediately after high school.
While Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association President Garth Gayle admits there is nothing the administration can do to prevent this, he is urging athletes to think about life after track & field when making these decisions.
“I’ve always said education is the means by which any individual will be able to make good in years to come,” Gayle told SportsMax.TV.
“So, these are young athletes that are doing exceptionally well in their chosen disciplines within track and field. We believe that it is best for them to reach a particular age or at least a level of experience because getting into the senior elite program is not easy. There is some level of protection within the schools or within the education system and I believe they should relish and seek to benefit from that rather than to be making the rush too early,” Gayle added.
He did point out, however, that there are some clubs out there that prioritize athletes’ education while giving them an opportunity to compete professionally.
“There are programs and clubs that allow for these junior athletes to be properly prepared and taken care of, including their education. Usain Bolt when he made the move from William Knibb into the High-Performance Centre and continued his education as well because there was that support base and he was able to earn very well,” he said.
Gayle, who is also principal of the Charlemont High School, then had a message for young athletes in all sports, not just track and field.
“Those that are making this transition, remember your education because there is life after your chosen sport. It happens in all the various sports. As an educator myself, I believe the more you can be protected and get the necessary guidance, it will allow an athlete to stay with the sport a lot longer,” he said.
“There will come hiccups and when they come, and you don’t have that support base, Jamaicans are hard task masters. We demand a lot from our sportsmen and women, more so in track and field. It is on that basis that I would want to be cautious but we can’t stop it. We would want to provide as much encouragement and guidance towards one’s development through education,” Gayle said.
Led by a brilliant half-century from Christian Lall, Trinidad and Tobago were crowned champions of the West Indies Rising Stars Under 15 Championship, as they defeated the Leeward Islands by six wickets at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
The Leewards batting first posted 162 all out in 48 overs, with a half-century for skipper Matthew Miller. He shared in a 63-run partnership with Jaheem Clarke as the pair showed resistance to the spin of Yasir Deen and Alejandro Kassiram. Deen and Kassiram finished with figures of 3/34 and 3/9 respectively.
Lall and Dimitri Ramjattan then posted a 77-run opening partnership before Ramjattan was caught for 19. Trinidad and Tobago lost three more wickets in pursuit of victory, but Yasir Deen nudged the ball for the winning single in the last ball of the 35th over.
In the end, the champions reached 163-4 with Lall making 52 and Zane Maraj 28*. Kunal Tilokani finished with figures of 2/45.
The Windward Islands took home a four-wicket win over Jamaica at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to close of their championship on a winning note. Batting first, Jamaica posted 146 all out in 42.3 overs, thanks to a top score of 39 from Demarco Scott and 36 from Odane Binns. Theo Edward was the pick of the Windward bowlers with figures of 4/27.
Edward then starred with the bat as well with 59 as the Windwards reached 149-6 off 35.5 overs. Nicoli McKenzie, Geovanni Gray and Joel Williams all ended with two wickets for Jamaica.
In the third match, Guyana beat last year’s winners Barbados by seven wickets at Liberta Sports Ground. Batting first, Barbados was all out for 69 in 20.5 overs. Oliver Gooding top-scored for the Bajans with 23. Arun Gainda 3/10, skipper Dave Mohabir 3/13 and Jonathan Mentore 3/14 were the leading bowlers for Guyana.
Mentore then returned to score 17 runs and 14 from Romario Ramdeholl, but it was the 25 runs that came via extras that took Guyana home to a comfortable win at 70-3 in 23 overs. Akobi Crichlow-Byer was the best Barbados bowler with figures of 2/18.
Earsinho Fontaine of the Windward Islands finished as the leading run-scorer with 197 runs while T&T’s Yasir Deen ended with 14 wickets to lead the tournament. In the field, T&T teammates Christiano Ramanan (9) and Scyon Charles (6) led the tournament in dismissals and catches, respectively.
Sacked West Indies Women’s Coach Courtney Walsh said he was shocked and disappointed by his dismissal by Cricket West Indies as he feels the players were showing signs of improvement.
CWI announced early this week that the contracts of Walsh, Robert Samuels and Corey Collymore were not renewed and that they were looking at recruiting new coaches for the West Indies Women, who have struggled for form for the past three years.
Walsh took over from Gus Logie in October 2020. Under his charge the West Indies Women won seven out of 24 T20Is and 11 of 32 ODIs. The team lost 15 consecutive T20 matches and made it to the semi-final of the ICC Women 50-over World Cup in 2022.
However, during T20 World Cup in South Africa, West Indies failed to qualify for the knockout round after winning two matches - against Pakistan and Ireland - in the group stage.
Notwithstanding, Walsh while a guest on Mason & Guest radio show in Barbados on Tuesday, Walsh said he was surprised when he was told that his contract was not going to be renewed.
"I was surprised at the time when I was told, but it was a job, and I was employed until the end of last month when I was told the contract won't be renewed," Walsh said.
"The timing was very surprising. I would have much preferred to have known earlier, but that's not my call. I got a message to call him [CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams] and I called him, and he told me the contract won't be renewed."
Walsh also revealed that he was disheartened by the news that the Samuels and Collymore had also suffered a similar fate as he believes the players were showing signs of progress.
"I was also disappointed to find out that the other coaches were not going to be reinstated, as well. I thought we were making some strides with the girls and the pool of players we had at the time,” Walsh said.
“We suffered injuries to players at some crucial times, but we still fought through it, and I felt the coaches worked really hard in trying to get the best team we could on the park in tough times.”
Jamaica’s U20 Reggae Girls are scheduled to depart the island on Thursday, April 13 for Nicaragua where they will play in the CONCACAF Women’s U20 Championship qualifiers. The team will have to hit the ground running as they play their first match on Friday.
The Jamaicans who are in Group E, will open their campaign against Anguilla on April 14 before they take on Bermuda on Sunday, April 16. Their final match in the group will be against Honduras on Tuesday, April 18.
Elaine Walker Brown is head of delegation that is comprised of Technical Director Wendell Downswell, Head Coach Hugh Bradford, Team Manager Julett Cobourne, Physical Trainer Iris Saemundsdottir, Goalkeeper Coach Clive Wedderburn, Team Doctor LoriAnn Miller, Masseur Devin Lawson, Equipment Manager Tyrese Palmer and Physiotherapist Nicole Reid.
The squad: Dreanna Thaw, Shaneil Shellicia Buckley, Dannique Lishon Wilson, Davia Brittanie Richards, Liha Williams, Lillian Maxine Clarke, Tiny Tihana Seaton, Kieba Janice Cowan, Natoya Britana Atkinson, Destiny Abigaile Powell, Akeila Avagaye Johnson, Janiel Mignott, Kayesha Jada Sibbles, Liya NjeriNday Brooks, Avery Fay Johnson, Maya Kiera Raghunandanan, Sundai Mary Amele, Tyesha Mchalia Nelson, Katie Nicole Oakley.
West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva and Alick Athanaze, the top scorer in the recently concluded West Indies Championship, have been appointed captains for Team Headley and Team Weekes, respectively for the upcoming Headley Weeks Tri-Series.
The two teams have been drawn from the leading performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and those deemed to be on the fringe of the Test team.
The series aims to provide further first-class opportunities to the best performers from the West Indies Championship in a competitive and intense setting, as well as opportunities for players who the selectors believe would benefit from playing red-ball cricket as West Indies prepare for the upcoming “A” Team tour of Bangladesh and the two-Test Series against India at home.
Team Headley and Team Weekes will play against each other and against the West Indies Academy in the three-match series running from 19 April to 6 May, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. All three matches have been awarded first-class status. The West Indies Academy was unveiled last year and played CG United Super50 tournament last November.
Team Weekes will feature Athanaze who was the leading batter in the West Indies Championship with 647 runs, which included two centuries; left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul the second-highest wicket-taker with 28 wickets; as well as Jahmar Hamilton who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.
Team Headley will feature experienced left-hander Darren Bravo, who was the second highest run-scorer in the West Indies Championship with 446 runs which included two centuries; fast bowler Akeem Jordan who was third highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in four matches; as well as Tevyn Walcott, who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.
“Following the conclusion of the West Indies Championship, we are pleased to have more first-class matches on the calendar,” said CWI Lead Selector Desmond Haynes.
“This is a great initiative and will provide our players with more opportunities as we look ahead to the very important Test Series against India later in the year as well as ‘A’ Team matches. We looked at everyone who was available, and we came up with teams who will be very competitive and push each other.”
All matches in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series will be streamed LIVE on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel with live scorecards and ball-by-ball scoring on the Windiescricket.com live match centre.
Team Headley: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Sunil Ambris, Darren Bravo, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Chaim Holder, Akeem Jordan, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kieran Powell and Tevyn Walcott.
Team Weekes: Alick Athanaze (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Jahmar Hamilton, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith and Devon Thomas.
West Indies Academy: Kevlon Anderson, Ackeem Auguste, Joshua Bishop, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Joshua James, Johann Layne, Kirk McKenzie, Ashmead Nedd, Kelvin Pitman, Keagan Simmons, Ramon Simmonds, Kevin Wickham and Nyeem Young.
According to Cricket West Indies Shai Hope was selected but was given permission to represent Yorkshire in the English County Championship while Rahkeem Cornwall and Shane Dowrich made themselves unavailable for selection.
MATCH SCHEDULE
All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua
Match 1: 19-22 April: Team Headley v West Indies Academy
Match 2: 26-29 April: Team Weekes v West Indies Academy
Match 3: 3-6 May: Team Weekes v Team Headley
Cricket West Indies (CWI) will shortly be starting the process to recruit a new West Indies Women’s team Head Coach after taking the decision not to renew the contract of Women’s Head Coach Courtney Walsh and Technical Assistant Coaches Robert Samuels and Corey Collymore. This follows a review of the senior Women’s team performances and programme.
During Walsh's tenure, which started in October 2020, he oversaw Home and Away Series wins to Pakistan and secured a semi-final spot in the 2022 ICC Women's 50-over Cricket World Cup.
CWI Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams said “We are very grateful for the contribution of Courtney and his technical team over the past two and a half years and we wish them all the best going forward. CWI remains committed to our international women's programme and will now be focusing on recruiting a new Head Coach and technical support team. An interim technical support team will be put in place during the recruitment period.”
Further information on the recruitment process will be provided in the coming weeks with the coaching roles being critical for the development of women’s cricket in the West Indies. In recent years, CWI has significantly increased investment into the women’s game at every level focusing on deepening the talent pool within the Caribbean and producing the next generation of West Indies Women’s players.
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