Cricket

In that season, a 24-year-old Jordan finished as the third highest wicket-taker in the competition with 16 wickets in eight games.

Fast forward four years, the Barbados Pride seamer has been selected in the West Indies Test squad on the back of some superb form in the ongoing CWI West Indies Championship. Jordan has, so far, picked up 12 wickets in two matches to be the leading wicket-taker.

In a recent interview on the Cricket West Indies (CWI) YouTube channel, Jordan, now 28, reacted to being selected in the squad for the South Africa series.

“It means everything to me. I bleed and sweat West Indies Cricket. It is my heart and soul,” Jordan said.

“Me being here and given the chance to represent the West Indies means everything,” he added.

When questioned about what character trait brought him to this point in his career, “self-belief” was Jordan’s response.

“If there’s one thing I’d say for sure, self-belief. If no one would believe in me, I’d definitely believe in myself. I’m the type of guy who would take up a ball at midnight and just try to run up the road and bowl, work on little things. I believe when I put my mind to something, I can get it done. That mindset has brought me a long way so far.”

Jordan gave a very thoughtful answer when asked about expectations for himself.

“For me personally, I just want to come into the team and be a part of the family. I don’t want to come and say that I’m going to blast out anybody. I just want to ease my way in and try to do a job that the team needs me to do and not put any big expectations on my shoulders,” he said before going into how that would translate on the field.

“Hopefully, I can put up my hand in situations, dig us out of holes, take a crucial catch or take a valuable wicket. Something like that, just to be a part of the family so that everyone can feel like yeah, this guy is putting everything into West Indies Cricket.”

Jordan may get his chance to do all that when the West Indies take on South Africa in the first test beginning on Tuesday.

Notably, Lara recently celebrated the 19th anniversary of the day he scored the historic knock (400*) against England in Antigua in 2004.

Speaking on the franchise’s YouTube channel, Steyn stated that Lara, head coach of SRH, got nostalgic about his record innings.

He further revealed the chain of events on how Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene was on the verge of breaking the historic record in a match between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Colombo in July 2006.

"I literally just looked at him (Brian Lara) and said, 'You're welcome. You still have your record due to South Africa’. Mahela (Jayawardene) and (Kumar) Sangakkara are batting together, Sangakkara is on strike. We never sniffed a wicket in that entire time,” Steyn said.

“At Tea on day three, we'd been fielding for two and a half days in the sun. Ashwell (Prince, who was captain on the tour) and the South Africans all get together and our team talk was not about how we're gonna draw or win this game. Mahela was on 370 somewhere and we just said, 'We need to do anything possible to make sure he didn't break Brian Lara’s record,” he added.

As the Sri Lankan closed in on the record, South Africa somehow managed to dismiss him just 26 runs short. 

"We come out of tea. Andre Nel is the bowler. And I’ve been fielding at mid-off for most of this game. I’d seen everything happen in this game at mid-off. I think he had run every milestone to me. I think he just blocked the ball and ran to me at this point,” shared Steyn.

“Nel ran in, he dragged one short, it was halfway down the pitch. I basically looked at the square leg because the bulk of the time that was where the ball was going. And for some crazy weird reason this ball didn’t get higher than ankle height and it castled Mahela’s stumps and we got him out for 374", he concluded.

While Lara’s 400* is still intact, Jayawardene’s 374 remains the fourth-highest individual score in Test history.

Meanwhile, Lara, who has scores of 400* and 375, features in the top-four list twice, whereas Matthew Hayden's 380-run knock against Zimbabwe in 2003 is the second-highest individual score in Test history.

The 40-year-old West Indies talisman is already at the top of the list with 14923 runs inclusive of 24 centuries.  Gayle had expressed thoughts about the possibility of retiring after the last World Cup, before picking a series in the West Indies against India as a final swansong.

The player has, however, apparently now had a complete change of heart even pushing back at some of those who have suggested it could be time to step aside. Gayle has since insisted, in various interviews, that he is feeling good and hopes to play another five years.  In responding to a celebration of his achievements by cricket statistic website Crictracker, who pointed out the achievement of the most T20 centuries, Gayle insisted that there was more to come.

“10 more to come!” the player said in response to the celebratory tweet.  With the World Cup fast approaching, Gayle has been out of action for his international team since last year but has continued to participate in various T20 leagues around the world.  He is expected to take part in the upcoming IPL campaign.

The Red Force entered the day 98-3, trailing the Scorpions first innings score of 141 by 43 runs with Joshua Da Silva and Yannic Cariah at the crease on 32 and 11 respectively.

Da Silva added 5 to his overnight score before he was dismissed for 37 by Derval Green to leave the hosts 104-4.

Jyd Goolie was next to go for just six to leave the Red Force in a spot of bother at 118-5 before a magnificent 116-run partnership between Cariah and Isaiah Rajah put them in a comfortable position leading up to the end of play.

Cariah, who brought up his 10^th first class half-century off 181 balls in the 80^th over, eventually fell near the close of play for a patient 72 off 222 balls.

Rajah batted fluently to end the day, making 58 not out off 268 balls, including seven fours.

The Red Force ended Day 2 on 234-6 off 98 overs, leading the Scorpions by 93 runs.

Nicholson Gordon has so far led the way for the Jamaican bowlers with 3-51 off 21 overs while opening bowling partner Marquino Mindley has taken 2-52 off 20 overs.

CWI, in partnership with the Government of St. Lucia, through the support of the Ministry of Health and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), has been able to secure COVID-19 vaccines for all interested squad members.

CWI has been supporting the efforts of regional governments to encourage everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19, with the West Indies Women’s training squad receiving their first doses while at their training camp in Antigua last week.

CWI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Israel Dowlat offered CWI’s appreciation of the support received on the vaccinations and their importance to the squad.

“CWI is fully committed to supporting the vaccination drive throughout the region. We are extremely grateful to have our governments and CARPHA who have been partnering with us to host cricket safely and to get our squads vaccinated,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Joy St. John, Executive Director, CARPHA, said CWI through its efforts has been helping to raise awareness of the efficacy of vaccinations.

"Cricket West Indies is leading the way in helping to raise awareness of the need to get vaccinated. They have been actively encouraging their players and staff to get vaccinated and we urge the people of CARICOM to follow them to safety by getting their vaccines as soon as possible," she said.

“The Ministry of Health and Wellness in St. Lucia is pleased to collaborate with CWI to facilitate the immunization of their players. Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health measures in the management of infectious diseases.

Cricket is an important sporting activity in the region and ensuring that it can be facilitated safely, is of importance to us in St. Lucia. We welcome the teams here and look forward to successful and safe activities over the coming weeks.”

Eleven players and support staff received their first dose of the vaccine, along with two squad members who received their second dose. Several members of the training squad have already received their first doses in their home countries and will receive their second dose later in the summer.

The West Indies Men’s squads are living and training in a bio-secure bubble environment ahead of their schedule of international home fixtures.

The good news is that help might just be a few years away in the form of a 15-year-old all-rounder from St Lucia.

Theo Edward on Monday scored his second century in two days while helping his country’s U15 team to a massive 403-run victory over Grenada in the Windward Islands WINLOTT Inc. U15 Tournament currently underway at the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.

Team captain Edward, who turned 15 in October, scored 101 from 81 balls as St Lucia scored a mammoth 482-8 from their 50 overs. Meanwhile, his vice-captain Johnathan Daniel raced to 142 from just 91 deliveries and smashed 17 fours and eight sixes.

St Lucia also got half centuries from Aaron St Clair and Codi Fontinelle, who scored 68 and 60, respectively, to set up the massive total.

Xzavian Rock was the best of the Grenadian bowlers with 4-90 from his 10 overs.

Faced with incredible scoreboard pressure, Grenada folded for just 79.

Captain Jayon Henry led from the front with 25 but Rock’s 11 was the only other score in double figures  against Leon Alexander, who snared 3-14 and Edward 2-5 to complete the comprehensive victory.

On Sunday, Edward scored 198 in St Lucia’s 435-6 on their way to a 298-run thrashing of Dominica at the same venue. His knock included 30 fours and six sixes that came from 143 balls.

Alexander (58) and Daniel (54) also contributed half-centuries to the match-winning total.

Lybird Tharoux was the best of the Dominican bowlers with 4-53 from eight overs.

With the exception of Earsinho Fontaine’s 53 and Kenneth Valmon (21), Dominica’s batters had no answer for Alexander (5-23) and Edward (2-13) as their side crumbled to 137 all out in just 27 overs. No other batter made double figures while four failed to score in the lopsided affair.

Edward harbours ambitions of playing for the West Indies and lists Johnson Charles as his hero. On his current path, he just might be the hero the West Indies needs in just a few years’ time.

The squad will be led by Ackeem Auguste with Giovonte Depeiza as vice-captain. Auguste is a left-handed top-order batsman while Depeiza is a left-arm spinner and right-handed middle-order batsman.

“This trip to England is part of the preparation for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup next year and will prove valuable experience for these young men. We have a very good combination, and it is really pleasing to see we have quality all-round cricketers in the group, which gives us more options,” said Robert Haynes, the lead selector for the U19s.

“The conditions in England will be challenging, and they know that, but they have fantastic management support in the set-up, including Sir Curtly Ambrose whose experience and knowledge will be an asset.

“We started the selection process four weeks ago, with 60 very talented youngsters from all across the region. It wasn’t easy cutting the squad down. But if you look at the balance in the bowling attack we have now selected, with six fast bowlers and three specialist spinners, you can see we have selected a quality attack. We also have some naturally gifted batsmen who we expect to perform well. The work that everyone has put in to get these guys here to this level has been exceptional.”

Rohan Nurse will lead the coaching staff as the Acting Head Coach, as Floyd Reifer is unavailable due to prior contractual arrangements with the Caribbean Premier League.

The tour will feature six Youth One-Day Internationals at The County Ground, Beckenham and The Polo Farm, Canterbury from Saturday, September 4 to Friday, September 17.

The West Indies Rising Stars U19s squad was selected following an eight-match trials series with 60 players. From there the squad was reduced to 26 players who were then involved in more intensive targeted high-performance coaching and simulation sessions.

The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup will be hosted by Cricket West Indies from January 4 to February 3, 2022.

West Indies U19 ‘Rising Stars’ Squad

CAPTAIN: Ackeem Auguste Age: 17 (Left-hand bat/right-arm leg-spin)

VICE CAPTAIN: Giovonte Depeiza Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/left-arm spin)

Onaje Amory Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm off-spin)

Anderson Amurdan Age: 18 (Right-hand opening bat)

Justin Beckford Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm off-spin)

Teddy Bishop Age: 18 (Right-hand opening bat)

Carlon Bowen-Tuckett Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/wicket-keeper)

McKenny Clarke Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/right-arm fast)

Rivaldo Clarke Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/wicket-keeper)

Nathan Edward Age: 16 (Left-hand bat/left-arm fast-medium)

Andel Gordon Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/left-arm medium-pace)

Sion Hackett Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/right-arm medium-fast)

Justin Jagessar Age: 16 (Right-hand bat)

Johann Layne Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm fast-medium)

Anderson Mahase Age: 18 (Left-hand bat/left-arm spin)

Matthew Nandu Age:18 (Left-hand bat/right-arm off-spin)

Isai Thorne Age: 16 (Right-hand bat/right-arm fast)

Vasant Singh Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm leg-spin)

Support Staff

 Rohan Nurse (Acting Head Coach)

Sir Curtly Ambrose (Assistant Coach)

Steve Liburd (Assistant Coach)

Junie Mitcham (Team Manager)

Avenesh Seetaram (Analyst)

Alex Forde (Strength & Conditioning Coach)

Lyndon Knights (Physiotherapist)

Match schedule

Saturday, September 4: 1st Youth ODI – Beckenham

Monday, September 6: 2nd Youth – Beckenham

Wednesday, September 8: 3rd Youth ODI – Beckenham

Friday, September 10: 4th Youth ODI – Canterbury

Tuesday, September 14: 5th Youth ODI – Canterbury

Friday, September 17: 6th Youth ODI – Canterbury

The players were among the 292 announced who have been shortlisted based on interest shown by the IPL franchises and represent about 30 per cent of the actual numbers of Caribbean players who had enrolled for the draft.

In addition to the three aforementioned players, Oshane Thomas, Chemar Holder and Obed McCoy were also shortlisted along with Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd and Kyle Mayers.

Sheldon Cottrell, Fabian Allen and Keemo Paul also made the cut as well as Carlos Brathwaite, Sherfane Rutherford, and Shannon Gabriel.

Jayden Seales, Fidel Edwards, Alzarri Joseph, Jon Ross Jaggesar complete the list of West Indies who will be hoping for lucrative contracts in the coming draft.

A total of 1097 players had registered for the 2021 IPL Draft.

The tournament won by the Barbados Tridents took place from September 4 to October 12.

According to the CPL, the figure of US$136,542,868, representing a 7.21 per cent increase over 2018,  was calculated using organiser spend, visitor spend and media value and was collated for the tournament by world-renowned researchers, YouGov Sport.

“With Hero CPL showing the Caribbean in the best possible light in continues to be a wonderful way for the region to promote itself to the rest of the world. We have now had seven editions of the CPL and our total economic impact on the region is now worth hundreds of millions of US dollars,” said the Hero CPL Chief Executive Officer, Damien O’Donohoe in commenting on the numbers.

“This shows we are making a positive impact in all the countries we host games in. We are here to stay, making a positive economic contribution, improving our environmental impact and developing cricketers who are going to succeed in West Indies colours.”

The 34 match tournament took place in six Caribbean countries, with games taking place in Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

 The tournament increased the positive economic impact it made on each of those countries in 2019 compared with the figures from 2018.

In addition to that economic impact figure, the Hero CPL employed more than 1500 staff, filled 36,830 hotel rooms and saw an overall increase in arrivals into the host countries by those arriving to watch CPL matches.

“The CPL takes place at a time (August/September) when there are fewer tourist arrivals into the Caribbean and it is therefore pleasing to see the tournament help increase the in-bound numbers across all the markets where CPL is played,” tournament organisers said.

“We are also delighted that Caribbean nationals who live overseas choose CPL as a time to combine visits home to see family and friends - reinforcing our objective of uniting local communities through their love of cricket and country.”

The tournament also worked to decrease its impact on the environment, with positive results from a recycling scheme in Trinidad, which the CPL will be looking to replicate across the region. It also raised money for hurricane relief efforts in the Bahamas with the help of fans and commercial partners.

Whilst the tournament was held behind closed doors in Trinidad & Tobago, the Hero CPL worked closely with all six host countries to ensure that the Caribbean was promoted as a must-visit destination. Both the live broadcast and the league’s digital channels carried bespoke tourism content for each of its partners.

The total exposure of US$258million is an increase of 381 per cent on the 2019 figure with the tourist boards in Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago benefiting from the Hero CPL promoting the unique attributes of each of the countries.

These figures were generated from an independent report compiled by YouGov Sport – one of the most respected research firms in the world.

The increase in exposure was driven by the Hero CPL’s record broadcast and digital audience of 523.5million in 2020.

“Our host countries are the heart and soul of the Hero CPL and every year we work very hard to get them as much coverage as possible. That was made more difficult this year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic meaning the games could only be played in one country, but we are delighted that we have still been able to deliver these stunning results,” said CPL COO Pete Russell.

“We would like to thank all our host countries for their support and we look forward to building on our successful partnerships in the coming years.” 

The lecture series is set to start at 7:30pm (8:30pm ECT) and will also be available on UWI TV.

In December 1960, Worrell led the team on tour of Australia where history was created in the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane that ended in a memorial tie. It was the start of a series which would go down in history as the one “which saved Test cricket and kept it alive”.

Thei annual lecture would normally be held to an audience at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies – where Sir Frank Worrell is buried overlooking the Three Ws Oval – alongside his other famous team-mates Sir Clyde Walcott and Sir Everton Weekes.

However, due to COVID-19 protocols, Mr Skerritt will deliver his address virtually.

Due to the threat posed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the entire 2020 edition of the tournament was held in Trinidad and Tobago, under strict COVID-19 protocols.

In several respects, the tournament was a success with the event successfully being delivered to a record audience of over 500 million.  The Trinbago Knightriders were eventually crowned champions on their own patch.

St Kitts and Nevis’ Warner Park has been the scene of some of the most iconic matches in Hero CPL history.  Fans were treated to Chris Gayle’s brilliant hundred against the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2019 and Andre Russell’s even more explosive century against the Trinbago Knight Riders in 2016. There have also been some amazing matches, not least the game that went to a Super Over finish between St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and the Knight Riders in 2019.

This year’s tournament takes on extra significance with it taking place in the lead up to the ICC T20 World Cup and both West Indies and overseas players will be using the opportunity to push for selection for their international teams.

 “We are delighted to be able to announce that we will be having the Hero CPL in St Kitts & Nevis in 2021 and we would like to thank those involved in welcoming the tournament to this wonderful country,” Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s COO, said.

“As was demonstrated during the 2020 tournament the CPL is a massive boost for the host country with US$51.5million delivered in sponsorship value for Trinidad & Tobago. We are really looking forward to giving St Kitts & Nevis the exposure they deserve.”

The total economic impact for Guyana in 2022 was S$84,425,587, a 186 per cent increase on the figure from the last time the country hosted Hero CPL matches in 2019.

The vision of His Excellency Irfaan Ali in showcasing the country’s many creative and social attributes whilst making the country the entertainment capital of the region for two weeks in September, led to the most successful hosting of any CPL finals.

Businesses across the country benefited from the significant uplift of in-bound tourism during September last year, as people travelled to be part of the Biggest Party in Sport. The fans certainly didn’t disappoint with almost 50,000 attending the playoff games alone.

With CPL spending more time in Guyana than previous years along with the change to the tournament structure where all six teams, TV production crew and tournament staff travelled as one cohort CPL’s direct spend increased significantly, with one metric showing a total of 25,783 hotel room nights filled across the tournament, a 236 per cent increase on the figure from 2019.

This report was generated by independent, world-renowned research company, YouGov Sport, with the make-up of the values including the total spent by Hero CPL to put on the 2022 event, the value of media exposure for the country from the broadcast of matches and the money spent with local business by those who travelled into Guyana for the tournament.

The total viewership for the 2022 Hero CPL also smashed all records as it increased to 721.8million. This is the third successive year that the tournament has generated a viewership figure of over half a billion.

“The reception for the Hero CPL in Guyana last year exceeded anything we have seen before, and we are hugely grateful for the vision of His Excellency Irfaan Ali, who masterminded the Cricket Carnival concept and showed how cricket can deliver significant economic value when planned alongside other entertainment initiatives,” said Pete Russell, Hero CPL CEO.

“We are so grateful for the amazing support we continue to receive in Guyana and are thankful that we have been able to repay the country with these fantastic numbers. We can’t wait to make an even bigger impact in 2023."

The tournament will feature 31 matches to be played at three venues - the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA), the Queen’s Park Oval (QPO) and the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Grounds of the University of the West Indies Sport and Physical Education Centre (UWI SPEC) at the St. Augustine Camus. All 13 matches at the Brian Lara Academy, including the semi-finals and final, will be televised live on ESPN Caribbean, with 12 of those matches being day/night games.

This year’s CG United Super50 Cup will feature a new eight-team league with each of the teams facing each other once. The top four in the league will qualify for the “final four”.

First place will play fourth place, with second place playing third place in the two semi-finals which are slated for BLCA on Wednesday, 8 November and Thursday, 9 November.

The final will be at the same venue on Saturday, 11 November, where the winners will be become CG United Super50 Cup Champions and lift the Sir Clive Lloyd Trophy.

The West Indies Academy and Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) will again join the traditional six franchises – defending champions Jamaica Scorpions, Barbados Pride, Guyana Harpy Eagles, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes.

Home side Trinidad & Tobago Red Force open this year’s tournament when they take on the CCC at the Queen’s Park Oval on 17 October at 9am. Later on that day the Guyana Harpy Eagles face Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA at 1pm in the first televised contest.

“This is a crucial stage in our planning as we look to build towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. We see the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup as the perfect platform to establish and incentivize a West Indies brand of play in the 50-over format, and for the emergence of new talent,” said Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket.

“The introduction of the round-robin format will provide players with more ‘playing time’ in the middle as well as a balanced way of gauging individual and team performances. We are pleased to again have CCC and the West Indies Academy participating at the senior level as they join the other six franchise teams as we look to widen the pool of players.”

Dominic Warne, CWI’s Commercial Director said believes the league format will provide fans with greater entertainment.

“The move to an eight-team league in the CG United Super50 Cup provides fans with an exciting tournament schedule with 31 matches scheduled in 26 days. Every game will be available from first ball to last either live on ESPN Caribbean or streamed live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel,” he said. “The new windiescricket.com Live Match Centre will also give fans full match analysis plus live ball-by-ball scoring and commentary for all 31 matches giving the widest access and coverage to the CG United Super50 Cup than ever before. We again welcome and thank our title sponsor and CWI Official insurance partners CG United for their fifth consecutive year of support which provides significant investment in cricket throughout the West Indies.”

FULL MATCH SCHEDULE

Venues: Queen’s Park Oval (QPO); Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA); UWI SPEC

All other matches streamed live on the Windiescricket YouTube channel.

17 October: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs CCC at QPO – 9am

17 October: Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA – 1pm

18 October: Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Jamaica Scorpions at BLCA – 1pm

19 October: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at QPO – 9am

19 October: CCC vs West Indies Academy at BLCA – 1pm

20 October: Barbados Pride vs Jamaica Scorpions at UWI SPEC – 9am

21 October: Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs West Indies Academy at QPO – 9am

21 October: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Guyana Harpy Eagles at BLCA – 1pm

22 October: Windward Islands Volcanoes vs CCC at UWI SPEC – 9am

23 October: Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes at QPO – 9am

23 October: Barbados Pride vs West Indies Academy at UWI SPEC – 9am

25 October: Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Barbados Pride at BLCA - 9am

25 October: West Indies Academy vs Jamaica Scorpions at QPO – 9am

25 October: Guyana Harpy Eagles vs CCC at UWI SPEC – 9am

26 October: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes at BLCA – 1pm

27 October: Jamaica Scorpions vs CCC at UWI SPEC – 9am

28 October: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs West Indies Academy at QPO – 9am

29 October: Barbados Pride vs Guyana Harpy Eagles at UWI SPEC – 9am

29 October: Jamaica Scorpions vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA – 1pm

31 October: Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes at QPO – 9am

31 October: CCC vs Barbados Pride at UWI SPEC – 9am

1 November: West Indies Academy vs Guyana Harpy Eagles at UWI SPEC – 9am

2 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Jamaica Scorpions at QPO – 9am

2 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Barbados Pride at BLCA – 1pm

3 November: West Indies Academy vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at UWI SPEC – 9am

4 November: CCC vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes at QPO – 9am

4 November: Jamaica Scorpions vs Guyana Harpy Eagles at BLCA – 1pm

5 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Barbados Pride at BLCA – 1pm

8 November: Semi-Final 1 at BLCA – 1pm

9 November: Semi-Final 2 at BLCA – 1pm

11 November: Final at BLCA – 1pm

Bushy Park-Church Pen will take on Ewarton Slazenger at 10:00 am to be followed by Greater Portmore vs Old Harbour Cricket Club at 2:00 pm.

The following Sunday, on May 28th, the community of Buff Bay in the parish of Portland will come alive with games being played at the Charles Town Field.

On Sunday, June 4, the district of Treadlight in Clarendon will host their set of round-robin matches at the Sir P Oval before things head west to Sav La Mar in Westmoreland where the parish semifinals will be played at the aptly name ground of Paradise.

The tournament will culminate at Boscobel in St. Mary where the parish finals will be played on Sunday, June 18.

 Parish champions will receive JMD$120, 000 while first runners-up and second runners-up will receive JMD$60,000 and JMD$30, 000 respectively.

 Last year the Boscobel team emerged triumphant at the SDC/Wray & Nephew National T20 Cricket Competition when they won the title at the Port Rhoades Sports Club in Discovery Bay, St. Ann.

The start of the Super 8 (knockout stage) was delayed by a few weeks due to the devastation suffered to parts of the island following the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

As a result, teams participating in this phase of the competition now face a win-or-go scenario which is different from previous years.

Dr. Dwayne Vernon, Executive Director of the Social Development Commission (SDC) explained the need for the change this year.

“Normally we would have a playoff, which is an intermediary round between the quarterfinals and the semifinals, so historically what would happen is that the best winners from the quarterfinals would automatically go to the semifinals and then the other teams would have played off to ensure which ones would get the right to play in the semifinals,” he said.

“What we have done this year, because we are strapped for time…is that we have eliminated the playoff round. Teams that win at the quarterfinals will automatically go to the semifinals. There will be no playoffs, just for this year. We want to end at least one week before back to school,” he added.

Kerry-Ann Bryan, Brand Manager at Wray & Nephew spoke of the long-standing partnership between her company and the SDC T20 Cricket competition.

“Wray & Nephew is proud to be a part of this long-standing tradition of community development through sport. Over 17 years we have seen much growth in participation, community comradery and development, all elements for which the SDC has been a stalwart champion.”

Bryan also spoke of the power of the sport in uniting communities across the island while assuring of her brand support through the remainder of the competition.

“Cricket for many Jamaicans is more than a game, it has the power to unite us, transcend boundaries and build a sense of camaraderie. It embodies the values of teamwork, discipline and fair play which are essential not only to the field but also in communities which we all call home,” she said.

“This competition is not just about cricket, it’s about empowering communities, encouraging social growth and nurturing the talents that align within our neighborhoods. As a proud sponsor of this competition, I can assure you that our brand will be right there cheering for every player, encouraging every team and celebrating every triumph,” she added.

In the first quarterfinal on Saturday, Whitehouse from Westmoreland beat Richmond Park from Kingston and St. Andrew by six runs. Whitehouse scored 155/6 from their 20 overs before bowling out Richmond Park for 149 in 19.3 overs.

In the second quarterfinal, Junction skittled out Troy for a mere 43 runs before they eased to victory

at 44/1.

The other two quarterfinals were played at the same venue on Sunday. In the first match on Sunday, Fairfield beat Bridgeport by 18 runs. Fairfield made 145 in exactly 20 overs before they restricted Bridgeport to 127/9 from their 20 overs.

The final quarterfinal was reduced to 15 overs due to rain. In their turn at bat, Gayle managed 107/4 and in reply Links made 108/3 from 13.3 overs to win by 7 wickets.

The semifinals will be played at the Ultimate Oval in St. Ann on Sunday, August 18.

The panel named 24 players for two three-day fixtures, which will be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on October 27-29 and November 1-3. The two teams will be led by Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood.

The players will use these matches as preparations ahead of West Indies’ forthcoming tour to Sri Lanka for two Test matches following the ICC T20 World Cup. The team will depart from Antigua on November 6 and the tour will run until December 4. The full tour squad and schedule will be announced at a later date. The series is the second of six series, three at home and three away, that West Indies will play in the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship after drawing the first Betway Test Series against Pakistan in August.

 “These Best v Best matches are a critical part of the Test team’s preparation for the series in Sri Lanka. For a number of players, it will be the only serious red ball cricket they will have since the Betway Test series against Pakistan and prior to going on this tour. So, it helps to get them back into the groove of the red-ball format and gives the Selection Panel an indication of the players’ readiness for the tour,” said Lead Selector Roger Harper.

SQUAD A: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Jayden Seales, Preston McSween, Nial Smith and Jeremy Solozano.

 SQUAD B: Jermaine Blackwood (Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Imran Khan, Shayne Moseley, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican.

The England spinner, promoted to number three in the batting order for the fourth Ashes Test, flashed a Pat Cummins delivery wide of gully to reach 24 for his innings and exactly 3,000 runs in the format before immediately celebrating with a more authentic boundary through the covers.

He is the 16th player and the fourth Englishman to reach both landmarks and, here, the PA news agency looks at that select group.

Awesome foursome

Moeen brought up 200 wickets with the scalp of Steve Smith in Australia’s second innings of the third Test at Headingley.

With Ollie Pope out injured, he put his hand up to bat at three in England’s chase in Leeds and would have had hopes of making the 28 runs he needed to tick off both marks in one match.

Just five were forthcoming but he took his opportunity on the second morning in Manchester.

Moeen’s five centuries include a best of 155 not out against Sri Lanka in 2016 while he also has five five-wicket hauls, his best figures being six for 53 against South Africa in 2017.

He joins team-mate Stuart Broad and past greats Sir Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff, in the 3,000/200 club.

Broad had his own moment in the spotlight on day one of the fourth Test with his 600th wicket, just the fifth man ever to achieve that feat, which he paired with his 3,640 runs at 18.10 in his 165 Tests prior to this, with a best of 169 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010.

Botham amassed 5,200 runs at 33.54, with 14 centuries and a best of 208, adding 383 wickets at 28.40 to stake a firm claim as statistically England’s greatest all-rounder – he is also the only one of the quartet to have a higher average batting than bowling.

Flintoff reached 3,845 runs and 226 wickets, in only 79 Tests compared to Botham’s 102. Moeen has taken 67 games to reach 3,000 and 200.

Captain Ben Stokes has over 6,000 runs under his belt and could add his name to the list this series, if his troublesome knee allows him to add the three wickets he still needs.

Sweet 16

England have more representatives than any other nation in the group of elite all-rounders, after Moeen broke the previous tie with New Zealand.

The Black Caps have three names on the list in Sir Richard Hadlee, Chris Cairns and Daniel Vettori.

South Africa and India have two apiece – Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis for the former and Kapil Dev and Ravichandran Ashwin for the latter, with five other countries having one each.

West Indies great Sir Garry Sobers was the first to achieve the feat, with Imran Khan following as Pakistan’s only representative – Wasim Akram came up 102 runs short.

Australia spinner Shane Warne, Sri Lanka seamer Chaminda Vaas and Bangladesh’s former captain Shakib al Hasan complete the list.

Kallis has by far the most runs of the 16 players with 13,289, over 5,000 clear of Sobers (8,032) with Dev and Botham the only others over 5,000.

Warne, with 708, comfortably tops Broad as the leading wicket-taker with Ashwin next on 486.

Australia ran out 4-0 winners Down Under in 2021-22 in a one-sided contest but find themselves up against opponents revitalised by the inspired leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

Here the PA news agency looks at some of the key issues ahead of the first Test.

Ben Stokes’ left knee

The build-up to the most anticipated Ashes series since 2005 has been dominated by Ben Stokes’ left knee. Barring a solitary over in his stint with Chennai Super Kings in the recent Indian Premier League season, the England captain has not bowled since a flare-up in New Zealand in February. Stokes did not bat or bowl in England’s Test against Ireland at the start of the month and there are understandable doubts over his ability to function as a fourth seamer for England. If he cannot take his share of the load it could imbalance an attack that leans heavily on the 40-year-old James Anderson and 36-year-old Stuart Broad.

How will Australia cope with ‘Bazball’?

Bazball, the shorthand nickname for England’s ultra-attacking approach under coach Brendon McCullum, has seen them operate at a staggering run-rate of 4.85. The gung-ho approach has blown away South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan over the past year and seen England win 11 of their last 13 Tests. But Australia’s bowling group presents a sterner challenge. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc are an elite pack of seamers, backed up by a spinner in Nathan Lyon who has 487 Test scalps. The noise from the England camp suggests there will be no backward step, but their opponents have the speed, experience and consistency to make things backfire.

The Moeen factor

Jack Leach’s lower-back stress fracture saw an emergency call go out to Moeen Ali. The off-spinning all-rounder, whose last Test came in September 2021, was coaxed out of retirement to join England’s Ashes squad. While Moeen’s white-ball exploits will serve him well in this iteration of the England Test side, filling Leach’s shoes may not be a straightforward task. Leach has been an ever-present first-choice under Stokes, working through over 500 overs and showing an ability to control one end for long periods. Moeen is a more mercurial bowler and his selection automatically changes the profile of the attack. How he copes with long spells in the field after almost two years as a limited-overs specialist remains to be seen but his batting is a clear upgrade on Leach.

All eyes on Crawley

Few players typify the duality of ‘Bazball’ in the way Zak Crawley does. He had an 87.5 strike-rate in 2022 yet his Test average sits stubbornly below 30 as his occasional highs are eroded by low scores. He remains the most controversial pick in the team, but coach McCullum has justified the long rope Crawley has been afforded by saying that his “skillset is not to be a consistent cricketer”. When he gets going, McCullum believes Crawley can win matches for England. A knock of 122 off 111 balls against Pakistan in Rawalpindi was a case in point, but he needs to be at his best to make a defining contribution this summer.

England’s pace attack…lacking pace

In the past year, Stokes has spoken about wanting a 90mph bowler in his side on numerous occasions. And yet, when decision time came, he opted for Stuart Broad ahead of Mark Wood for the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. While the 36-year-old’s nous and experience on this stage cannot be scoffed at, Wood’s exclusion leaves the England bowling line-up lacking in express pace. Broad’s selection could spell trouble for David Warner, who lost that particular head-to-head seven times in 10 innings during the 2019 Ashes.

England have plenty to play for too, shooting for a draw that would maintain an undefeated record in the ‘Bazball’ era and spoil their rivals’ celebrations.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five key talking points.

While there are no confirmed retirements on the cards, this game looks like the end of an Ashes era. Both teams are packed with thirty-somethings, several of whom are unlikely to pass this way again. Moeen Ali came out of retirement to answer an SOS but is almost certain to step away again, James Anderson turns 41 during the match and may finally be making his Ashes swansong, while Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are not getting any younger. Australian opener David Warner is definitely saying goodbye to this particular rivalry and has a handful of team-mates who are long shots to be back here in four years. Expect a few poignant moments.

Anderson and England have nipped speculation about his future in the bud, with both parties insisting the most prolific seam bowler in Test history is not ready to hang up his boots just yet. But with time marching onwards, now would be the ideal time to show he is still operating at the highest level. Four wickets at 76.75 is a dreadful return for a player of his imperious standing and he will know it. The selectors have kept the faith and he needs to repay with his best performance of the series. With the likes of Josh Tongue, Ollie Robinson and Matthew Potts itching for a chance, he cannot wait too long.

Amid the frustration of last week’s rain-ruined draw, Zak Crawley peeled off one of the most remarkable Ashes centuries ever. His 189 from 182 balls was a modern classic and underlined in bold the reasons England have stuck with him for so long. That innings has surely bought him time, but he needs to use it as a staging post. His last huge score, 267 against Pakistan in 2020, proved something of a false dawn but he is older, wiser and more experienced now. Armed with a high-class, high-pressure ton against England’s biggest rivals, the 25-year-old must try and peak more frequently – starting now.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins did not look like a man who had won the World Test Championship and retained the Ashes at Old Trafford. In the field he looked passive at times and reactive at others and his own form evaporated as he turned in dire figures of one for 129 during England’s batting assault. He has even attracted some critics Down Under who want to see him step away from the role, despite his achievements this summer. Another loss would only intensify those calls and he needs to turn in an authoritative show to quieten them down.

It is hard to overestimate how much Australia want to turn their advantage into an outright series win. The last time the Baggy Greens won behind enemy lines was back in 2001, with defeats in 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 and a 2-2 draw four years ago. Many of the current squad were involved in the 2019 contest, over-celebrating ahead of the Oval decider and coming unstuck. They are hungry to put that right this time, while England are keen to see them fall at the last hurdle. England’s triumph Down Under in 2010-11 – a series both Anderson and Broad played in – remains the last away Ashes win and the hosts want to keep it that way.