Jamaica Premier League clubs, Cavalier FC and Waterhouse FC will be beneficiaries of the largesse of the Jamaican government, which is allocating JMD$ 2 million (approximately US$13,000) towards their participation in the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championships.

The clubs will represent Jamaica at the championships that will be held in the Dominican Republic between May 13 and 25, 2022. Teams from Haiti and the Dominican Republic will also be participating in the tournament.

“These are challenging times for everyone but out of love for our people and sports, the Ministry gladly obliged when called on again to assist,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Gender, Culture, Entertainment and Sports Olivia Grange.

“The nation will be rooting for Cavalier and Waterhouse and we are happy that all the games will be televised live in 26 countries.”

Jamaica international and Inter Miami CF defender, Damion Lowe, has been fined an undisclosed fee for failing to leave the field in a timely manner.

The charge, which was announced among the number of sanctions issued by Major League Soccer (MLS) this week, relates to the centre half’s conduct during an encounter against New England Revolution on April 30.

Lowe, who signed with the David Beckham-owned franchise earlier this season, was given his marching orders in the 61^st minute after receiving a second yellow card for what looked like fairly innocuous contact on Revolution forward Adam Buksa.  Clearly surprised by the decision, the defender stayed on the pitch for an extra minute to plead his case with the referee and a few other players.  New England won the encounter 2-0.

Jamaica high jumper Lamara Distin has been named the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association National Athlete of the Week and Southeastern Conference Field Athlete of the Week.

The former Hydel standout has been recognized on the back of an exceptional performance last week where she set a world-leading high jump clearance of 1.97m to win the Texas A&M Alumni Muster.

The performance saw the jumper set yet another national record for her country and moved her up to No. 4 on the all-time collegiate list.  It also bettered the previous Texas record, which she also held.

Diston, who was born in Hanover, has been on fire this season, clearing 1.93m in four of the five meets entered so far.  Two of those meets have seen the athlete jumping over 1.96m.

For her country, Distin’s assault on the national record this season began with an opener of 1.96m, set during the Texas Relays, which bettered the previous national best of 1.93 held by Sheree Ruff since May 2010.

Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-Harris could be in line for a debut call-up to the Jamaica Reggae Boyz squad as interim coach Paul Hall looks to bolster the squad ahead of the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League.

Having failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, the national team is set to return to action with a fixture against the Spanish region Catalonia on May 25.  The friendly will be followed by matches against Suriname in the Nations League and another friendly against Uruguay in June.

The 27-year-old Clarke-Harris has been one of the most dependable scorers outside the Premier League in recent years and is a player the Jamaica Football Federation has kept close tabs on.  Since joining Peterborough in 2020, the player has scored a healthy 44 goals in 87 appearances for the club.

In 31 appearances in the English Championship, this season, the forward has scored 11 times, coupled with 3 assists.  The club will, however, be relegated from the division this season after finishing second from the bottom of the league table.

The Surrey Kings and Surrey Royals will contest the final of the inaugural Dream 11 Jamaica T10 tournament after the league stage of the competition came to an end at Sabina Park in Kingston on Tuesday.

The day started with the Kings losing to the Middlesex United Stars in a super over.

The United Stars win the toss and elected to field first, restricting the Kings, albeit with a number of changes to their team, to 85-7 off their 10 overs with Kenroy Williams (22) and Xavier Burton (17) being the main scorers.

Tyrone Daley was the pick of the bowlers for the United Stars with 2-14 from his two overs.

Top scores of 38 not out from captain and West Indies opener John Campbell and 21 from Jamaica Scorpions all-rounder Alwyn Williams then allowed the United Stars to match the Kings total reaching 85-6 off 10 overs.

The same pair along with Daley then combined to post 13-1 in the super over before Ojay Shields restricted the Kings pair of Jeavor Royal and Brad Barnes to eight without loss to secure the win.

The Surrey Royals got the better of the Cornwall Warriors in the second match of the day by nine wickets.

The Royals restricted the Warriors to 86-6 off their 10 overs after winning the toss and choosing to field first.

Captain Damian Ebanks (25), Damion Bryce (21 not out) and Kerry Holness (18) were the main contributors for the Warriors against an excellent 2-8 off two overs from Jamaica Scorpions pacer Nicholson Gordon.

The Royals then successfully got to 87-1 off 8.1 overs thanks to 61 not out off 29 balls from wicketkeeper/batsman Romaine Morris.

With the league stage now completed, Wednesday will see the Cornwall Warriors and the Surrey Risers contest the fifth-place playoff, while the third-place playoff will be an all-Middlesex affair with the Titans taking on the United Stars before a champion is crowned on Thursday when the Surrey Royals and the Surrey Kings battle it out.

The Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) has pledged $3 million for its four-part Jubilee Series for senior athletes in a lead up to the World Championships to be held in July this year. 

The second meet will be held this Saturday, May 7 at the National Stadium starting at 5pm. 

The remaining events scheduled for May 7, 21 and June 4 will feature: 100m M/W, 200m M/W, 400m M/W, 400mH M/W, 100mH W, 110mH M, Long Jump (M/W), Discus (W/M).

“Track and field has been a major part of Jamaica’s history, and in the 60th year, we will continue to provide suitable competition for our senior athletes,” says JAAA President Garth Gayle.

“We thought we should offer our senior athletes an opportunity to sharpen their performances for the National Championships and other professional outings leading into the World Championships in July,” he added.

The events will be at the National Stadium and will run for two hours on each occasion running from 5 - 7 pm. As part of the offer, the JAAA will allow its dedicated fans to enter the Grandstand free of cost. 

The event is being held in partnership with the Sport Development Foundation (SDF) and PUMA.  

Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Nicholas Pooran as the West Indies Men’s One-Day International (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) captain, following the international retirement of Kieron Pollard.

Pooran will take over the captaincy for the West Indies ODI and T20I teams after being Pollard’s deputy over the last year. The appointment will include the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2022 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in October 2023.  Shai Hope has been recommended to stand as vice-captain of the ODI team.

CWI’s Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams said: “We believe Nicholas is ready for the challenge of leading our white ball teams given his experience, performances, and the respect he has within the playing group.  The Selection Panel believes that Nicholas has matured as a player and were impressed with his leadership of both teams when Kieron Pollard had been absent. The experience he has gathered playing in various franchise leagues around the world was also a factor in the decision to recommend him for the T20 captaincy.”

Pooran has already captained the West Indies Men in Pollard’s absence, leading them to a CG Insurance T20I Series win at home against Australia in 2021. 

The left-handed wicketkeeper/batsman has eight half-centuries and an ODI century to his name. He has also scored eight T20I half-centuries for the West Indies Senior Men’s team. He first burst onto the cricket scene representing the West Indies Under-19 team at the 2014 ICC Men’s U19 World Cup, smashing 303 runs from six matches.

CWI President Ricky Skerritt congratulated Pooran on his appointment saying, “Nicholas Pooran is a specially gifted cricketer, and the right person to take over the white ball captaincy. We are confident that he will continue to climb the leadership learning curve speedily, and successfully. I appeal to all West Indies cricket stakeholders to give Nicholas the support and encouragement that he deserves.”

Pooran expressed his delight in his appointment saying, “I am truly honored to be appointed captain of the West Indies team. I am following the footsteps of several giants of the game who have created an amazing legacy for West Indies cricket. This is indeed a prestigious role, a pivotal position in the West Indian society, as cricket is the force that brings us all West Indians together. To be named captain is indeed the highlight of my career so far and I want to drive the team forward to accomplish great things on the field for our fans and loyal supporters.”

His first outing as captain will be the three away ODIs against The Netherlands in Amstelveen starting May 31 which form part of the ICC World Cup Super League.

The Middlesex Titans scored a four-wicket win over the Surrey Risers in a low-scoring affair in their Dream 11 T10 fixture at Sabina Park on Monday.

The Risers struggled to 73-6 off their 10 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Captain and former West Indies pacer Krishmar Santokie (2-7 off two overs) and left-arm spinner Errol Thomas (2-19 off two overs) were the best bowlers for the Titans as only Delbert Gayle (23), Ricardo McIntosh (15) and current West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell (10 not out) were able to reach double figures for the Risers.

Wayne Davis (17), Brian Clarke (15) and Jamaica Scorpions all-rounder Jamie Merchant (15) then ensured the Titans successfully chased the target, reaching 74-6 off 9.4 overs.

Akim Fraser (2-10 off two overs) and Gordon Bryan (2-22 off two overs) tried their best for the Risers who finished with six points from 10 matches and will play in the fifth-place playoff on Wednesday.

The Titans moved into fourth with nine points from 10 matches and will either be in the third-place playoff or fifth-place playoff based on the results of Tuesday’s matches.

Citing the presence of the BVI Olympic Committee and financial support from a shoe sponsor in PUMA, Steve Augustine, President of the British Virgin Island Athletics Association (BVIAA) is not overly concerned about the possibility of athletes from his country switching allegiance to represent the United Kingdom in international competition.

Augustine was speaking recently on the online Talk Sports show with Michael Bascombe in the wake of the success the BVI enjoyed at the recent 49^th edition of the Carifta Games held at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

At the Games held from April 16-18, the BVI won four gold medals, two silver and a bronze for one of their best-ever medal hauls. Three of those gold medals were won by the imperious 16-year-old Adaejah Hodge, who was voted the winner of the coveted Austin Sealy Award.

But as is the case with many small island nations, there have been occasions when athletes choose to transfer allegiance to other countries in search of greater stability and support. In the recent past, Olympian Miguel Francis, who was born in Montserrat and resided in Antigua, chose to represent the United Kingdom in international competition.

Augustine said while the issue has surfaced in recent conversations with colleagues, he is not overly concerned.

“It’s something that we have spoken about at a high level, at the association level but we have never had to face that battle,” said Augustine, whose islands boast two of the best athletes in the world – Kyron McMaster and Chantal Malone – in the 400m hurdles and long jump respectively and who still represent the BVI in international competition.

“One of the good things about the BVI is that we have an Olympic Committee existing on the island, the BVI Olympic Committee. There are other territories that are under the umbrella of the United Kingdom that do not and for them, that becomes the obvious option to perhaps leave their home countries and compete for the United Kingdom.

“It’s not something that we have paid much attention to. It is indeed an option of athlete wants to do that, there is a process through World Athletics, you can’t just jump up and compete for the UK tomorrow, there is a process.”

That said, Augustine believes the BVIAA treats its athletes well which in all likelihood makes them want to remain at home.

“We were super happy a few years to be sponsored by PUMA, so our athletes are well geared. They look really nice in their uniforms. Those simple things that probably would have been problematic for us in previous years, are no longer an issue, so the little things that we do do, our athletes are appreciative.

“There is a whole lot more than we can do. Perhaps there is a benefit if they were to compete for the United Kingdom but there is no better place to be a king than at home.”

Hard-hitting opener Kennar Lewis (38) and former West Indies Under-19 representative Kirk McKenzie (31) were the main contributors as the Surrey Kings secured a 23-run victory over the Cornwall Warriors in the Dream 11 Jamaica T10 at Sabina Park on Monday.

The Kings posted 102-6 off their 10 overs after the Warriors won the toss and chose to field.

Pacer Andre McCarthy was economical for the Warriors with 1-10 off his two overs.

The Warriors' reply never got out of first gear due to intelligent bowling from the Kings, eventually culminating with them reaching 79-2 after 10 overs.

Openers Ockeeno Farquharson (35) and Paul Palmer Jr (17) top-scored for the Warriors.

Shalome Parnell (1-13 from two overs) and Kenroy Williams (1-20 from two overs) were the wicket-takers for the Kings, which moved back to the top of the table with 13 points and secured a spot in the final with their sixth win in nine matches.

The Warriors are fourth on eight points after their fifth loss in nine matches.

The Round of 16 of the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic finished on Sunday with another four teams advancing to the quarterfinal round.

One of the big winners of the day was the host nation Dominican Republic. In what is their first-ever CWU17, the Caribbean side is now through to the final eight after posting a 2-0 win over
neighbours Haiti at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristobal.

The decisive scores came shortly before halftime, with two goals in the span of three minutes.

Maria Torreira broke the deadlock in the 39’ to make it 1-0, before the lead was doubled for good, 2-0, in the 42’ by Julia Jimenez.

The first game of the day at the Estadio Panamericano saw El Salvador march to a commanding 10-0 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Braces from Carolina Ayala (1’, 4’), Sarina Villa (77’, 82’) and Karoline Velasquez (83’, 87’) were accompanied by goals from Mia Arevalo (42’), Cynthia Ramirez (44’), Victoria Sanchez
(45+1’) and Yaneth Sotelo (50’) for the Cuscatlecas.

Canada’s Rosa Maalouf continued her impressive CWU17 campaign by scoring a hat trick to lead Canada to a 4-1 win versus Honduras at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.

It was a rocky start for Canada, however, as Honduras grabbed a lead in the 28’ through Susan
Henriquez. But soon Canada countered through Maalouf, who scored her first of the day in the 34’ to bring Canada level, 1-1. The second half then belonged to the North Americans with
Maalouf scoring in the 49’ and 82’, followed by Amanda Allen in the 88’.

With her three goals on the day, Maalouf is the current top scorer in the tournament with nine goals.

Rounding out the day was Jamaica, who downed Cuba 4-0 at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez.

Natoya Atkinson bagged a brace (2’, 59’), while Shaneil Buckley (53’) and Dannique Wilson (73’) tacked on scores to pace the Reggae Girlz to the victory.

Three second-half goals gave New York City FC a comfortable 3-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.

It was a tightly contested first half as the sides split possession evenly, with 19 combined shots and six combined saves. 

City made three substitutes early in the second half, and they would pay dividends.

After Keaton Parks finally broke the deadlock in the 74th minute, 20-year-old substitute Gabriel Pereira doubled City's advantage just four minutes later.

Another sub, Chris Gloster, put the icing on the cake in the 88th minute, with the assist coming from City's third sub, Maximiliano Moralez.

Despite the late nature of their success, it was a deserved win for the home side, with 2.83 expected goals compared to just 0.31 for the Earthquakes.

The win keeps City in the mix with the top of the Eastern Conference, while San Jose are 13th in the Western Conference after six points from nine matches.

It was a party atmosphere for Nashville SC as they welcomed more than 30,000 fans to their first home game at GEODIS Park – the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States or Canada.

The visiting Philadelphia Union were up for the fight, jumping ahead in the 66th minute before being forced to settle for a 1-1 draw when a late penalty allowed the hosts to equalise.

Nashville had 60 per cent possession for the contest, and may have deserved a better result as they doubled Philadelphia's expected goals in the first half (0.85 to 0.40) and were again more potent in the second period (1.09 to 0.64).

It was Denmark's Mikael Uhre who finally found the back of the net with his right-footed shot from near the penalty spot 66 minutes in, but the home fans would not be denied a spot kick in the 85th minute, allowing Randall Leal to make it 1-1 and share the points.

It was a strong showing for Nashville – who sit ninth in the Western Conference – to take a point off the Eastern Conference leaders, although Philadelphia have now gone three matches without a win after rattling off five victories in a row.

Nashville have now gone 544 days since their last home loss.

A late go-ahead goal from Los Angeles FC substitute Ryan Hollingshead put his side in the driver's seat on the way to a 2-0 home win against Minnesota.

Los Angeles opted for a more possession-based opening 45 minutes, controlling 59 per cent of the play before the break, but were only able to generate two shots on target, while Minnesota had one.

The hosts approached the second half much differently, only holding 47 per cent of the possession, but creating 16 shots to just three for Minnesota as they were much more aggressive moving forwards.

After being subbed on in the 74th minute, Hollingshead found the breakthrough nine minutes later as he scrambled in the rebound from Kellyn Acosta's shot. Jose Cifuentes – who was subbed on in the 63rd minute – made it 2-0 in stoppage time when he tapped in Diego Palacious' cross from the six-yard box.

With the victory, Los Angeles are now top of the Western Conference, two points ahead of Austin FC, while Minnesota will remain in sixth, missing out on an opportunity to jump up to third with a win.

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have a series of international friendlies scheduled over the next six weeks as the Jamaica Football Federation looks to get the national senior side back on track after a disastrous failed World Cup campaign.

Two international friendlies are to be played in Spain against Catalonia on May 25 and the Basque Country on May 27, respectively.

According to the JFF, these matches will offer opportunities to look at new players, mainly from Europe. These new players, depending on the assessment of the technical staff, could play a role in the short, medium or long term plans.

 Crucial Nations League games against Suriname away on June 4, and then home on June 7, along with a June 14 home game against Mexico will be aimed at maximizing points for the 2023 Gold Cup qualification while the team continues to develop a style of play, improve its FIFA ranking as well as building team chemistry and a winning mentality.

An international friendly against Uruguay is set for June 11.