West Indies

The recent recall of veteran players Chris Gayle and Fidel Edwards, who are 41 and 39, respectively, caused consternation in some quarters.  Some argue the selection of such senior players may have taken opportunities away from younger players looking to secure places in the World Cup squad.

Pollard, however, insists that several players have been given an opportunity in recent years and have failed to consistently provide what the team has needed.  With the reigning World Champions currently ranked at 10^th in the ICC rankings and the World Cup just a few months away, Pollard believes it’s time to prioritise winning games.

“Some of the guys have gotten opportunities when we started off in 2019, I believe, and it hasn’t produced the results that we might have wanted on a consistent basis.  Guys were still in and out for non-cricketing reasons and stuff like that,” Pollard told members of the media via a Zoom press conference on Tuesday.

“These guys (Gayle and Edwards) continue to perform despite their age and one thing that has been said throughout is that the door is open to each and every individual, once you show that you can perform at the highest level,” he added.

“We need to start winning cricket matches, we need to win series…so we have to strike a balance.  We are the defending champions of the T20 World Cup and we have to get into that winning habit.  If it’s the case that we have a couple of extra senior guys to start that process, so be it.”

However, there is no place for Shimron Hetmyer, Sheldon Cottrell or Roston Chase, who West Indies selectors say have failed to achieve minimum fitness standards.

Meanwhile, while off-spinner Kevin Sinclair earns his first West Indies selection and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein gets his first T20I call-up. Kyle Mayers has also been selected for the CG Insurance ODI Series that will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on March 10, 12 and 14 with the final match scheduled to be a day/night encounter.

The series forms part of the ICC ODI Super League and these three matches provide the opportunity for West Indies to secure their first points as the team tries to qualify automatically for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India.

The T20I matches that will be played under floodlights on March 3, 5 and 7 starting at 6 pm Eastern Caribbean Time (5 pm Jamaica Time), will create history as the first full international matches to be played by the official West Indies Men’s team at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

The T20s will also be the first West Indies matches to be played in Antigua since 2013. West Indies will use these matches to prepare to defend their ICC T20 World Cup title scheduled to be played in India later this year.

Chief Selector Roger Harper in explaining Gayle’s return, said the Universe Boss still has a lot to offer to the West Indies cricket and that Edwards will be an asset in attack.

 “As we build towards the defence of the T20 World Cup, the opportunity is being taken to determine our best team and squad as we go forward,” Harper said.

“Chris Gayle has performed very well in recent tournaments and the selection panel thinks that he can still add great value to our team. Fidel Edwards has been selected to give the bowling the potent firepower needed.”

Harper added that Jason Holder has shown his all-round value in this format in recent times and after He missing a few series he will add depth and experience to the squad.

He said Akeal Hosein performed very well in Bangladesh [ODI Series] and had excellent stats in the CPL “so this is an opportunity to see how he equips himself in this format. Kevin Sinclair grabbed our attention in the Super50 Cup back in 2019 and has been consistently economical in the last CPL and the current CG Insurance Super50. He will provide an off-spinning option for the team.”

All-rounder Andre Russell is still recovering from contracting COVID-19 earlier this month, and despite testing negative over a week ago was ruled out of the T20Is by the CWI Medical Panel whilst he completes his “return to play” protocols.

Harper revealed that fast bowlers Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas, along with batsman Shimron Hetmyer, and all-rounder Roston Chase all failed to reach the minimum fitness standard in time for selection consideration.

They will all remain in Antigua after the CGI Insurance Super50 Cup to work on their fitness and conditioning.

West Indies T20 Squad: Kieron Pollard (captain); Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Rovman Powell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair.

West Indies ODI Squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Shai Hope (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd and Kevin Sinclair.

As part of preparations for the upcoming World T20 championships the Windies, the defending champions, will be involved in three back-to-back five-match T20 International (T20I) series against South Africa, Australia, and Pakistan.

The squad, which will be captained by Kieron Pollard, will also see the return of the likes of Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas, and Hayden Walsh Jr.  The players missed out on being selected for the team’s previous T20 international series against Sri Lanka, which was won 2-1 by the regional team.

Windies coach Phil Simmons has praised the squad as a combination of experience and youth.

“These upcoming T20Is are crucial in terms of our preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup. We have assembled a very solid squad — with experienced world-class match-winners and some exciting young talented players, ready to explode onto the global stage and do great things for West Indies cricket,” Simmons said.

 “We are at that point where we have identified those who we will look to be the core of the squad to defend our World Cup title, so we want to make sure the upcoming matches create that environment — the way we train, the way we plan, the way we execute and the chemistry within the group. We won five years ago, so the next few weeks and months will be major steppingstones on the road towards defending our title and being World Champions for the third time.”

FULL SQUAD SELECTED:

1. Kieron Pollard – Captain
2. Nicholas Pooran – Vice-Captain
3. Fabian Allen
4. Dwayne Bravo
5. Sheldon Cottrell
6. Fidel Edwards
7. Andre Fletcher
8. Chris Gayle
9. Shimron Hetmyer
10. Jason Holder
11. Akeal Hosein
12. Evin Lewis
13. Obed McCoy
14. Andre Russell
15. Lendl Simmons
16. Kevin Sinclair
17. Oshane Thomas
18. Hayden Walsh Jr

The 50-year-old Gibson, who also twice served as bowling coach of England and most recently South Africa, will replace Charles Langeveldt, who quit the post in December.  Langeveldt, the former South African cricket coach, spent just five months in the post.

The South African had himself replaced another West Indian Courtney Walsh who left the team following the World Cup.  Gibson is expected to join the team in Pakistan for the three-match T20I series in Lahore later this week.   Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said Gibson's presence will be a major boon for the team.

"He brings in tremendous experience and has coached or played all over the world. He has also had the opportunity to observe Bangladesh cricket from close. I am sure he will be a very valuable addition to the Bangladesh team's coaching group.”

Batting first, India got off to a terrific start, scoring 113 runs in the first 22 overs before Hayden Walsh finally found West Indies' first wicket, dismissing Shikhar Dhawan for 58 from 74 deliveries.

An over later, the heavens opened, forcing a two-hour rain delay and a shortened game as a result. With nine wickets in-hand and far fewer overs to survive, India came out of the break swinging, scoring a combined 31 runs in the first two overs when play resumed.

Shubman Gill (98 not out from 98 deliveries) and Shreyas Iyer (44 from 34 deliveries) led the way as India posted a score of 225-3, which the home side never threatened.

A pair of ducks from opener Kyle Mayers and number three Shamarh Brooks crippled the run chase before it could begin, finishing all out for 137 with Yuzvendra Chahal's 4-17 from just four overs leading the way.

Nicholas Pooran (42 from 32 deliveries), Brandon King (42 from 37) and Shai Hope (22 from 33) were the only West Indies batsmen to score more than 10 runs.

Gill's great showing

Indian opener Gill was clearly the star of the show with the bat, finishing two runs shy of his century due to the rain cutting his innings short. 

After the match, he called his score "bittersweet", and admitted "I was expecting to get 100".

With scores of 64, 43 and now 98 not out, Gill posted a series average of 102.5.

Scintillating Siraj

The West Indies fans were expecting to be treated with some big-swinging, hard-hitting action once the home side finally took the crease, but their hopes of a win were dashed almost instantly as Mohammed Siraj removed two of their top three batsmen for a combined zero runs.

Neither player had scored less than 35 runs in the first two ODIs of the series.

The 29-year-old Trinidadian-born batsman, who idolizes another big hitting left hander, Chris Gayle, has had some success in the shorter formats of the game, but, unlike Gayle, is yet to play a Test match for the West Indies.

Lewis has scored 1791 runs in 54 One Day International (ODI) matches, at an average of 37.31, with a high score of 176.  In 35 T20 Internationals, the batsman has managed 989 runs with a strike rate of 155.74 and an impressive high score of 125.

The batsman, who also has 1229 runs in 22 First Class cricket matches, and a century scored while representing the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the regional four-day competition, has not played the format since 2017.

“I’ve always thought the selectors were a little short-sighted for not given him a go in the Test matches,” Hendricks told the Mason and Guest Radio program.

“I’ve been impressed with how he plays in the 50 overs.  He is not a real hitter, he plays his shots very well, he always gets into position and so on.  So, I’m disappointed that he is not thought about for the team,” he added.

Recently, there have been calls for the selectors to consider widening the pool of available Test players but considering some of the players that do very well in the shorter formats.

Former West Indies fast bowler Daren Powell believes serious consideration should be given to attempting to retrieve the team's former coach Richard Pybus for the recently vacated position of head coach.

Pybus was sacked in controversial circumstances four years ago as part of a raft of changes made by the then-incoming Cricket West Indies administration of president Ricky Skerritt and his vice president Kishore Shallow.

The move had proven to be particularly unpopular at the time, given the fact that West Indies, under his leadership had only just put together an impressive performance in a Test series win against England and showed plenty of good qualities in a battling 2-2 tie in the ODI series between the teams.
In addition to that, several stakeholders and even some players advised the administration against making so many changes with the 2019 World Cup less than two months away.

 With the post once again vacant following the resignation of Phil Simmons, Powell believes the opportunity could exist to correct what many consider to have been a grave error in judgment.
As to whether the 54-year-old Pybus, who is reportedly shortlisted for the South Africa job, would be interested in returning after a departure in such acrimonious circumstances, or whether the CWI be willing to make such a drastic reversal is another thing entirely.
"Why can't we go back for him (Pybus) he was doing a good job and we have tried another way and it seems as if things didn't go down the right road," Powell told the Mason and Guest radio program.
As a part of their election platform, the Skerritt, Shallow administration had promised to give priority to Caribbean-born individuals for top leadership positions.
"If you look at Pybus and what he did with the West Indies, I would have been willing to cut off my nose to spite my face for him...how do you know why a man becomes a man when he can accept that he was wrong, apologize and move on," Powell added.
Prior to his appointment as coach of the team, Pybus endured somewhat of a rocky tenure, serving as High Performance director in February 2018, having previously served as West Indies director of cricket from 2013 to the end of 2016.

The 37-year old’s call up to the squad has been among the most controversial made by the Caribbean team, with some fans insisting the West Indies should have focused on selecting younger talent.  Rampaul’s effective showing the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), however, convinced selectors that he could be an asset for a team looking to successfully defend its title.

In 10 matches, Rampaul was the tournament’s leading scorer with 19 wickets at an economy rate of 7.96 and a best of 4 for 29.  The bowler is satisfied that the work put in merited selection to the team’s T20 World Cup squad.

“In every team, you want to play for, you have to put a performance out there and I know I needed to work hard and show the selectors I could still take wickets and compete at a level.  I needed to put the performance out there and show them I could take wickets at the CPL stage,” Rampaul told members of the media on Saturday.

Despite the criticism aimed towards the age of some members of the squad, Rampaul believes the experience of the team will be critical in the bid to retain the trophy.

“Going into big World Cup games you need experience and the team that was selected is a lot of experienced guys and a lot of young guys as well, guys that play around the world in different conditions.  We know games come quick and fast and the experienced guys will know how to manage themselves.”

The West Indies will bow into action with a match against England on October 23^rd.

“In relation to the World Cup, we are interested. We are looking at the numbers and I’m in discussion with Billy Heaven, President of the Jamaica Cricket Association,” Grange told SportsMax.TV.

“A letter was written to the Prime Minister about it by Cricket West Indies and he has referred the matter to me. We’re looking at the numbers and having discussions. The bid is coming up shortly so we have to make a decision very soon but it is something we’d like to do,” the minister added.

For context, Jamaica has not hosted a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match since 2019 and will, once again, not host any in the upcoming season. The country last hosted an international game in January 2022 when the West Indies hosted Ireland for three ODIs and three T20Is.

As it relates to 2023, “things didn’t quite come together for matches” according to CPL Head of PR and Communications Peter Miller.

“Talks are ongoing for 2024 and we are hopeful that we will have matches in Jamaica in the future.”

The main problem, as put by CPL CEO Pete Russell, has been “a lack of support from the Government and the private sector.”

“We have made no secret of the fact that we have lacked support in terms of bringing the CPL to Jamaica over the years and this has been a challenge,” Russell told the Jamaica Observer recently.

The CEO emphasized his point by drawing a comparison with Guyana, who will host the playoffs for this year’s tournament and have also submitted a proposal to host games at the World Cup.

“We feel that what CPL does for the host countries speaks for itself, with Guyana Government’s Cricket Carnival a prime example of what can be achieved if stakeholders work together. There was a 90% increase of international arrivals into Guyana in September 2022 with 31,050 international visitors arriving in the country. There were no hotel rooms available, and money was being put into the Guyanese economy,” he said.

“We want to be able to come back to Jamaica but, for this to happen, we need support from the Government and the private sector,” he added.

Green’s final day haul of three wickets pushed the bowler’s second innings tally to 5 for 75 and

9 for 159 overall as the Leewards came crashing down for 183.  The total was still well short of the Scorpion's first innings total of 516 for 9.  Beginning the day at 134-6 and with Montcin Hodge (60) and Hayden Walsh Jr leading the battle for an unlikely draw, the Leewards were roiled early when Green uprooted Hodge.  The batsman was just able to one more run to his overnight total.

Alzarri Joseph who made 89 in the first innings did not have that much of an impact this time around as he lasted just three deliveries before being bowled by Marquino Mindley.  Walsh battled on to make 35 but was also removed by Green to leave the Leewards at an irretrievable 154 for 9.  Jeremiah Louis added a spirited 29 from 23 balls but became Green’s fifth victim to leave Kian Pemberton on 1 and the Hurricanes resistance at an end.  Mindley ended with second-innings figures of 2 for 61.

Earlier the Jamaica Scorpions had been powered to their massive first innings total by 248 from Jermaine Blackwood and then skittled out the Leewards for 281.

Green was not included when Australia picked their 15-man group five weeks ago.

The impressive form of the 23-year-old since that selection has caught the eye, with two half-centuries in three innings against India last month showcasing his attacking talent.

Yet Finch sees his squad as being settled, with Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis on the way back to full fitness after respective ankle and side strain injuries.

Asked about Green's prospects of playing in the tournament, Finch said: "I'm not sure at the moment – I don't think so."

This is not to say Finch cannot see Green contributing immensely to Australia in the short and long term, but the World Cup decision has been taken.

"It's just one of those things," said Finch. "He had a really good tour of India, it was good for him to get an opportunity to open the batting, so he'll get more opportunities.

"He'll get an opportunity at some point in this series. The reason we've carried him is to have an extra bowling resource as well.

"Obviously his batting is exceptional, and he shows a lot with the ball. He keeps developing and he keeps improving every time he gets an opportunity."

David Warner and Mitchell Starc have returned to the Australia ranks after missing the short India series.

Australia have won two of their last three men's T20Is against West Indies (L1), including an eight-wicket victory in their most recent meeting last November.

Wednesday's series opener in Carrara will be the fourth men's T20I between the teams in Australia, and the first since West Indies won the last such game in February 2013, having been beaten in their previous two against the hosts.

Finch, Hazlewood, Cottrell closing on landmarks

There is a landmark for Finch to chase, since he is 85 away from becoming the sixth player to score 3,000 runs in men's T20I history and the first from Australia.

The skipper has struggled against the Windies, however, averaging 19.5 in eight previous T20I innings, with a high score of 53 against the Caribbean side.

West Indies have been pushed into a World Cup squad change after batter Shimron Hetmyer failed to make his intended flight, with Shamarh Brooks promoted to take his place.

Brooks is not yet in Australia, where the coming games will see a pace bowler from each side look to reach 50 wickets in T20I matches.

Australia's Josh Hazlewood is on 49, putting him one away from becoming the third Australian man to reach 50 wickets in the short format, after Adam Zampa and Mitchell Starc.

Wednesday's game will be Hazlewood's 34th T20I, and only three quicks have reached 50 wickets in fewer matches: Mark Adair, in 28 matches for Ireland; and Mustafizur Rahman, who reached the mark in 33 games for Bangladesh.

West Indies' Sheldon Cottrell has 48 wickets in the format to date, two short of becoming the fourth men's West Indies bowler to take 50, following Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree and Sunil Narine.

Paceman Nortje took 6-84 as the Proteas claimed an 87-run victory in the first Test of the two-match series at Centurion.

However, the 29-year-old will not feature at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg after he after experienced what South Africa described as "mild groin discomfort" during the first Test.

South Africa have not called up a replacement for Nortje, who has taken 70 wickets in the longest format since making his debut in October 2019.

The second Test starts on Wednesday, with three ODIs and as many T20Is to follow.

After being postponed last month, due to a number of contentious issues raised by the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB), the process, conducted by recently appointed cricket ombudsman Kamal Ramkarran, reportedly went off without a hitch.

Other appointments will see Rabindranauth Saywack and Hilbert Foster serve as vice-presidents with Ronald Williams named secretary.  Former West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan has been named as the Chairman of the Senior Selectors, with current Cricket West Indies chief of selectors Roger Harper, also offered a position as a technocrat member with voting rights at executive meetings.

On Sunday, the CWI elections, which were slated to have Guyana’s Anand Sanasie and Barbados’ Calvin Hope challenge the incumbents Ricky Skerrit and Kishore Shallow, was postponed after a quorum could not be reached due to the absence of representatives from the Guyana and Barbados.

The elections have been re-set for April 11 but could now take on an entirely context following the GCB elections.  Sanasie previously held the post of general secretary but has through his attorney’s questioned both the legality of appointing the Ombudsman and elections themselves.

GCB full slate

President– Bissoondyal Singh

Vice-President– Hilbert Foster

Vice-President– Rabindranauth Saywack

Secretary– Ronald Williams

Assistant Secretary– Davteerth Anandjit

Treasurer– Pretipaul Jaigobin

Assistant Treasurer– Dr. Cecil Beharry

Public Relations Officer– Claude Raphael

Marketing Manager– Mohamed Baksh

Chairman of Competitions Committee– Shaun Massiah

Chairman of Senior Selectors– Ramnaresh Sarwan

Chairman of Junior Selectors– Andre Percival

Technocrat members with voting rights at executive meetings– Roger Harper and Anil Beharry.

At the close of play, the Red Force were left on 203 for 9, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.  Midway through the innings, things had, however, looked far more promising for the Trinidad and Tobago franchise.

The batting pair of Jason Mohammed and Jeremy Solozano had come together to put a 116-run partnership on the board for the third wicket, largely repairing the damage the team suffered from the early losses of Keagan Simmons (3) and Isaiah Rajah (26).

With the team coasting at 178 for 3, however, things took a turn for the worse when Mohammed went for 68.  The batsman was caught at slip after edging to Leon Johnson, off the bowling of Demetri Cameron.  Solozano, who was on 72, did not last long after that as he was out caught and bowled by Gudakesh Motie five overs later.

Yannic Cariah (3), Joshua Da Silva (2), Imran Khan (2), Bryan Charles (0), and Uthman Muhammad (0) all failed to reach five runs in subsequent stints at the crease, with the combination of Motie and Paul causing a devastating collapse.  In total, the team lost its last five wickets for just seven runs. 

Paul ended with figures of 5 for 41, while Motie took 2 for 35.  At the close of play, Terrance Hinds (9) and Shannon Gabriel (4) were the not-out batsmen at the crease for the Red Force.

On 13 October, 2023, President Ali and CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow, met at State House in Guyana as part of the commitment to strengthen stakeholder relationships across the region. CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe; CWI Independent Director, Manniram Prashad; and Owner of Guyana Amazon Warriors, Dr. Ranjisinghi Bobby Ramroop were also in attendance.

The Head of State reiterated his commitment to establishing a partnership with CWI to improve the overall performance of West Indies cricket. One of the primary objectives will be establishing a High-Performance Centre in Guyana to service cricketers from across the region.

His Excellency said, “We are excited as a government to play our part with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) in the new re-development of cricket in the region. We welcome the partnership with CWI in the development of a regional High-Performance Centre and cricket academy here in Guyana."

He added his intention to work with the CWI President to advance the popularity and growth of the sport on multiple fronts in the Caribbean.

"We are also working with President Dr. Shallow and Cricket West Indies on advancing some innovative ideas in bringing more opportunities to our cricket players and spectators in the Region. I believe strongly that defining our product as distinct from other regions and countries is critical in the rebranding and repositioning CWI globally. Such a plan must incorporate the culture, people and natural beauty of our region."

President Ali underscored the importance of collaboration between parties with an interest in advancing the development of cricket at every level. He said, “I urge CWI to unify their efforts in rebuilding and strengthening our cricket in the interests of all stakeholders.”

Dr. Shallow lauded His Excellency for Guyana’s investments in cricket thus far and recognized the potential of collaborating with Guyana. He expressed, “President Ali’s commitment to cricket is evident with the major investments to stage the magnificent cricket festival, including the CPL finals in Guyana. His zeal for the success of West Indies cricket is unquestionable. This partnership with Guyana promises tremendous value for our young and emerging cricketers who will have access to world-class facilities and programs comparable to the best in the world. I emphasize that for West Indies teams to be iconic again, it is imperative that there is considerable collaboration between CWI and governments in our region.”

Guyana has successfully hosted the last two Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals. Their cricket festival, culminating with CPL's final, is emerging to be a regional calendar event, having attracted thousands of visitors to Guyana.

Earlier this week, lawyers for Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie wrote sharply worded letters to Guyana Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr and Attorney Kamal Ramkarran, objecting to the appointment of both a cricket Ombudsman and the 7-day time period given for the staging of elections as illegal under the Guyana Cricket Administration Act.

The attorneys had given the minister until Tuesday to withdraw the appointment or that legal action could be taken to quash the appointment.  The letters further asserted that close relations with Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt had tainted the overall decision.

In response, Ramson Jr flatly rejected all the assertions made by Sanasie’s attorneys and insisted that he was on firm legal ground and well within the powers of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act.

“While it must be stated at the outset that since the restoration of the provisions of the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014 and pursuant to Order of Court by Justice Fidela Corbin in Berbice Cricket Board v Fizul Bacchus et al dated 3rd April 2019 in Action number 2018-HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-1200, the capacity in which your client purports to instruct you is not recognized, paragraph two is denied and your position on the issue is incorrect as it is res judicata (see Judgement of Fidela Corbin dated 3rd April 2019 in SAYWACK V LEWIS in Action number 2018-HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-808),” the minister wrote in response.

“The Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014, the subject Minister is entitled, empowered, and obliged to appoint the Cricket Ombudsman and the date for the first election of the Guyana Cricket Board until completed. I fraternally take the liberty to direct your attention to paras 15, 26, and 27 of the judgment.”

Gossai, who has been closely aligned to the issue as a legal representative of the Berbice Cricket Board (BC), agrees the minister is within his rights.

“In order to get an injunction you have to show that your claim is going to succeed.  I see some letters circulating in the press purportedly from Mr Sanasie’s lawyers to the minister to the president of Cricket West Indies and the Ombudsman and based on those things in the letter if those are the grounds then they are bound to fail,” Gossai told the Mason and Guest radio program.

“One of the things they are saying is that the minister cannot appoint another Ombudsman because he has already appointed an Ombudsman and that person has resigned.  But strangely enough, I notice in that letter that there is no mention of Sanasie when he was quote and quote secretary of the cricket board Mr (Dave) Cameron had consulted with the minister and appointed another Ombudsman.  For some strange reason, it might have been an oversight but that was left out of the correspondence.”

King, who is leading the team for the first time on his home soil, gave the decent size crowd much to cheer about with a well-played 79 off 45 balls, which assisted the Caribbean side to 175-8 from their allotment, before Matthew Forde (3-27), Gudakesh Motie (3-25) and Obed McCoy (2-15), restricted South Africa to 147 in 19.5 overs.

Despite the absence of the main scoreboard –which has been out for almost four years now –as well as an underprepared tabled press area, King and company ensured that the first international game at the venue since 2022, was a successful one.

The 29-year-old, who is deputizing for compatriot Rovman Powell, attributed his Player-of-the-Match knock, which included six fours and six maximums, to the familiar conditions.

“Obviously it is leading up to the World Cup so we want to be playing good cricket and we got the win today, so we are happy with that and I think we played well all around,” King said in a post-game interview.

“I had the advantage of knowing the conditions well and I know that it is easiest to bat when it’s the new ball so I had to try and get a good start and I executed well. At the mid-way point I think we had 200-220 in mind as we had wickets in hand but it is a difficult wicket to bat on when the ball gets older, but we still managed to get a competitive total on this wicket,” he added.

After being asked to take first strike, King started positively, but lost opening partner Johnson Charles (one) in the fourth over with the score at 36.

However, he found another useful ally in Kyle Mayers, and the added a further 79 runs for the second wicket, with King, the aggressor raising his 10th international half-century off 27 balls in the sixth over when he drove a length delivery from Lungi Ngidi to the midwicket boundary.

The skipper continued to take the South African bowlers to task, before he eventually went, reaching for one of Andile Phehlukwayo that came off the toe of the bat and was caught by his opposite number Rassie van der Dussen.

Still, at 115-2 after 11 overs, West Indies remained on course for a massive total, but then came the familiar collapse as they lost three wickets in quick succession. Mayers was first to go for a 25-ball 34, including three sixes and a solitary four, with Andre Fletcher (one) and Fabian Allen (one) following.

In fact, apart from vice-captain Roston Chase, who made a measured unbeaten 32 off 30 balls, which had two fours and a six, none of the batsmen got into double figures.

Phehlukwayo (3-28) and Ottneil Baartman (3-26) did the damage for South Africa.

In reply, South Africa started with Quinton De Cock driving Matthew Forde’s first ball, a full length delivery, straight down the ground. However, the 22-year-old Barbadian responded immediately as he served up another full length delivery, just around off stump, which forced de Kock into another drive, but the left-hander got a slight edge and Andre Fletcher made no mistakes behind the stumps.

Debutant Ryan Rickelton (six) also had a brief stay in the middle, and from there, the visitors laboured, despite Reeza Hendricks making his 15th T20 international half-century. Hendricks, who was ninth man out with just two balls left of the innings, made a career-best 87 off 51 balls with six sixes and six fours.

Captain Rassie van der Dussen (17) and Matthew Breetzke (19) were the only other South African batsmen to reach double figures.

The second and third games of the series are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, at the same venue, ahead of the much-anticipated June-1-29 T20 World Cup hosted in the Caribbean and United States.

When bad light stopped play on Saturday with just over 17 overs left in the day's play, Holder was unbeaten on 60 and debutant Joshua Da Silva on 25 as the West Indies closed the day on 244 for 6, still trailing New Zealand by 85 runs with only four tail-end wickets in hand.

Earlier, John Campbell made his highest Test score of 68 as the West Indies showed improvement on their embarrassing first innings display.

Resuming on their overnight score of 124 for 8 in reply to New Zealand’s 460, the West Indies added only seven runs to be all out for 131.

Tim Southee had DaSilva caught behind on his overnight score of 3 and bowled Shannon Gabriel for 2 to finish with 5 for 32. Chemar Holder remained unbeaten on 8. Kyle Jamieson, who did most of the damage on Friday, took 5 for 34.

Following on, the West Indies had a much better -looking start getting to 37 when Trent Boult took two wickets in an over to reduce the visitors to 41 for 2. Kraigg Braithwaite had got to 24 when he flicked the New Zealand quick off his legs only to be caught low down at leg gully by a diving Will Young.

Three balls later, Darren Bravo, on four, fended off a short delivery to point where Henry Nicholls took a dolly.

But just as it seemed as if the West Indies were in for another swift capitulation, Campbell and Shamarh Brooks mounted an 89-run stand that took the West Indies to 130 when a length ball from Neil Wagner slanted across Brooks, who went forward to defend only to see the ball take the edge and carry through to wicketkeeper BJ Watling. He made 36.

Roston Chase came and faced seven balls before edging Jamieson to Tom Latham at slip without scoring. Jamieson then bowled bowled Campbell off the inside edge for 68 as the West Indies slipped from 130 for 2 to 134 for 5.

Jermaine Blackwood, whose 69 made up more half the West Indies first innings score, threatened once again to take the attack to the New Zealand bowlers but after racing to 20, he was bowled by Boult trying to slog a ball that swung and smashed into his stumps. The score was then 170 for 6 and the West Indies were sliding towards defeat inside three days when Holder had his best showing of the series.

He and Da Silva have so far added 74 for the seventh wicket and will resume on Sunday hoping to add many much-needed runs to their face-saving stand and perhaps pray for rain.

Boult has so far taken 3 for 75 while Jamieson has 2 for 43 and Wagner 1 for 53.

Left-hander Mayers made a typically stroke-filled 57 off just 66 balls as the President’s XI took a first-innings lead of 122. He used the match as ideal preparations for the first Sandals Test match, which starts on Sunday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

They started the second day on 103-1 and made 294 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings 172. In the second innings, the visitors were 56-0 when the match was called off at 4:50 pm.

Mayers hit 11 fours, mainly fierce cuts, and powerful drives and added 76 for the fourth wicket with Shamarh Brooks, who made 19 before he was magnificently snapped up at slip by Lahiru Thirimanne off-spinner Danajaya De Silva (3-26).

Chase then came to the crease and showed his class. The tall right-hander was excellent against the spinner as he scored 52 off 81 balls with eight fours. He was especially fluent through the on-side before he was dismissed leg-before wicket to left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya (3-69). This knock capped a very good match for Chase, who also took 4-12 on the opening day with his off-spin.

In the final session, Sri Lanka’s openers Thirimanne (27 not out) and Dimuth Karunarathne (23 not out) batted out the final 13 overs.